The Best Lies
by AnonaLee
Summary: Link enters Hyrule Royal Academy to expose the Yiga spies that have been lurking there. The only catch is that Link - who is a girl - must go undercover as a boy, even rooming with a guy named Vaati. As legends become reality and her mission quickly grows more dangerous, her identity is soon not the only thing she must protect. FemLink x Vaati, modern AU, T to be safe.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Thanks for reading my first fanfiction (well, the first I've had the guts/motivation to publish). I am just doing this for fun whenever I get stuck with my other writing projects, so it will be updated irregularly with no set schedule and no set length. Please rate and review! The more love the story receives, the more motivated I get to write! Also, sorry for the super short prologue! Chapter 1 will be up very soon, and I promise it will be longer than this sorry excuse of a chapter.

 **Prologue**

The Legend had a beginning, stretching back ages into a past no one could remember any longer. The Legend was a curse and a blessing to the people of Hyrule, a dire prophecy of apocalypse and a redeeming promise of a savior. Unending, the cycle repeated itself, never quite the same each cycle, yet always recognizable. Sometimes the people of Hyrule would remember the Legend; other times it seemed to fade from all memory, until destruction struck again. But always, without fail, a Hero would rise, armed with Courage and the spirit of the Heroes past, to save Hyrule. And at the Hero's side was the Princess, blessed with Wisdom and the blood of the Goddess.

Always, without fail, the Hero and the Princess were named Link and Zelda.

Eventually their names survived through time, and it became popular to name boys Link and to name girls Zelda. Hyrule passed some centuries in peace, not forgetting the Legend, but no longer believing in it. The monarchy was replaced with a bureaucracy, though the royal family retained considerable influence. The Hylians lived in harmony with the Zora, Rito, Gorons, and Gerudo. It was a prosperous time. Technology flourished as it never had before in Hyrule. The Legend, with its apocalypse, seemed like only a fairy tale, and the people treated it as such. The Three Goddesses, the Tri-Force, the Hero, and all the tales that made up the Legend were relegated to the realm of mythology.

However, the Legend would never end. One hot summer night, a baby girl with blond hair and blue eyes was found in Kakariko City by a woman named Impa, a young Sheikah, left on her doorstep. Tucked into the child's blanket was a note:

 _Please take care of Link._

No one knew it at that time, but the cycle had begun again.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Viola, a significantly longer and much more worthwhile chapter! I know the prologue really didn't reveal much about the actual story, but I thought it was important for setting up the world that it takes place in.  
The major characters in this story will be Link, Vaati, and Zelda, but certainly there will be other characters making appearances as the story progresses.  
Well, I guess I should let the story do the talking before I blabber on more. Please enjoy, and rate and review!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 _18 years later_  
 _Location: Kakariko City_

"Your mission is a simple one: enter the Royal Academy and investigate both the students and faculty, and identify any Yiga spies. Once you have done so, contact me, and we will remove them from the school." Impa shut the folder she was perusing and handed it to Link, who stood at attention as the Sheikah relayed the instructions. Link scanned the contents-papers with pictures and profiles of possible Yiga spies, school entrance forms, and false identity profile-and nodded. Everything looked to be in order.

 _Name: Link Forrester._  
 _Age: 18._  
 _Sex: Male._  
 _Birthplace: Kakariko City._  
 _Area of study: Liberal Arts._

"Understood, Impa," the Hylian told the white-haired Sheikah. Then Link suddenly did a double-take, flipping to the false identity page and staring at the entry by 'Sex'. "Wait-you want me to go undercover as a boy…?!"

Impa nodded, completely serious. "The Yiga have grown suspicious after being exposed so many times by a girl. Besides, no one will think twice about a boy named Link."

The Hylian remained quiet, thinking over her mentor's words. Indeed, she had exposed many Yiga members under various disguises, but she had always been disguised as a girl, naturally. The Yiga didn't know her name was Link-after all, who named a girl Link?-they only knew that she was a girl with fierce eyes. She already was in the habit of keeping her hair short, tied up in a short ponytail, for the sake of fitting it under wigs; her chest was passably flat; and the Goddesses had gifted her a voice that was neither feminine nor masculine, though she had mastered voice mimicking and could reach almost any range. Her face was delicate, but her body was toned from a lifetime of physical training, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to claim she wasn't a girl. Actually, she had to wonder why she hadn't been assigned a male role before now.

"This will be an interesting challenge," she finally said, smiling confidently. "The Yiga won't know what hit them. Any other orders?"

Impa stood and crossed her arms. "Yes. Keep watch on Zelda Nohansen. She may be the Yiga's target."

"Zelda, of the royal family?" An image of a blond girl, ever-smiling, popped into Link's head, familiar from media coverage.

"Correct." Impa nodded, the braid on the side of her face swinging as she did so. "I've placed you in two classes with her. It is up to you whether to befriend her or keep your distance; whichever you think will work best for the mission."

Link dropped down to one knee, head bowed, in the Sheikah sign of obedience. "Understood! I'll leave right away."

* * *

 _The next week_  
 _Location: Hyrule Royal Academy of Higher Education_  
 _Farore Dorms_

Link stared at her roommate with a bored expression, who was reprimanding her-yet again-for walking around with a towel draped over her wet hair. Something about health and manners and image, some such nonsense.

"Wet hair doesn't give people colds, Vaati," she said flatly, interrupting his monologue.

Her roommate scowled and crossed his arms. "Then at least you could try to not look like a slob! Don't you care about your image at all?" His red eye (the right one was hidden by his long violet bangs) scanned Link's pajama-clothed figure quickly. Apparently what he saw didn't please him, because he scowled more.

"This _is_ my image-I'm a guy. Guys are slobs. You're the weird one, with your long purple hair." She gestured at Vaati's hair. It was even longer than Link's, a soft purple color, part of it tied in a little ponytail, the rest left to hang down to his shoulders. "I'm still not convinced you're a guy."

"Says the guy with earrings!" Vaati retorted hotly, losing his cool.

"You're just jealous," Link replied smoothly.

Vaati glared, then stomped out of the dorm room with a huff.

Link grinned. Vaati's anger didn't really bother her. Actually, it was a good thing that her roommate looked even more feminine than she did; it took any suspicion off of the blonde Hylian. From day one when she had moved onto campus, she had been teasing Vaati nonstop about being a girl disguised as a guy. It was fun to see the usually cool and calm man completely lose it when pestered by Link. She remembered their first meeting.

 _"Am I in the wrong dorm?" Link had asked when she entered her new room for the first time and saw her roommate. Vaati had looked up from his dark purple suitcase, squinting like he was confused. "I mean..." Link amended. She had waved her dorm info paper and pointed to it. "Are you Vaati?"_

 _The violet-haired Hylian nodded. "And you are Link, I assume?" He held out his hand politely, and Link shook it. "Welcome to your new room. I apologize for the mess-" Link didn't see any mess in the almost bare room "-since I moved in early."  
_

 _"Uh-huh." She stared at her new roommate. Shoulder-length purple hair, bangs hiding one eye, the other accented with a tattoo that looked like a cut, a slender figure, hands that looked and felt more delicate than her own, the graceful way he moved... Frankly, Vaati was gorgeous. But she wasn't exactly going to say that, so she went with her next thought. "I didn't know these were co-ed dorms."_

 _Vaati squinted again, not understanding right away, so Link added, with a gasp for effect, "They aren't co-ed? So maybe...?! You're trying to disguise yourself as a guy?!"_

 _Her roommate's eyes went wide first, then narrowed with annoyance. "What sort of delusional idea is that?" he retorted, crossing his arms. "Whyever would someone do that in the first place?"_

 _"Oh, many reasons. Adventure, espionage, love." Link reached out and stroked a strand of Vaati's hair. It was as soft and silky as it looked, cool and pleasant to touch. She smiled even as Vaati began to scowl. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me! And I promise I won't do anything..." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to the strand of hair. "...that will tarnish your purity, Miss."_

 _"Wha-what the heck?!" Vaati sputtered, scrambling back with significantly less graceful movements than before, eyes narrowed and face flushed. Definitely angry. "I'm not a girl, you idiot!"_

 _Link winked conspiratorially. "Of course not."_

The Hylian sat on her bed, ruffling her hair with the towel as she thought. Classes would begin tomorrow. Out of her four classes, three contained either students or professors that were on the suspect list, and two were with Zelda Nohansen. One also happened to be with Vaati, a fact the violet-haired man frequently lamented.

Within the guys' dorm, there were also suspects. Among them was a second-year student named Ghirahim. The students liked to call him Lord Ghirahim, on account of the money he was always carelessly spending and his arrogant attitude. According to the profile Link had received, the young 'lord' had a dangerous side when he was angry, and there had been several incidents involving violence connected with him, though he had never been pinned down and punished for any of them. Bribery, she suspected, or blackmail.

Certainly, trying to study as well as observe the suspects, watch over Zelda, and conceal her identity all at once, were going to make for an interesting time. The girl sighed and fell onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, contemplating her next actions. Her character as the boy Link had no defined personality, so it was up to her to decide how friendly to be or not. Making friends with the suspects gave her more ability to observe but also carried the risk of being suspected, if she did not properly gain their trust. Staying distant granted her anonymity but limited her chances of getting evidence.

 _"The best lies are the ones you don't have to make up." Impa's words came to her. It was during her training for going undercover, when she was not even a teen, after yet another lecture about creating a believable alter ego. Link was notoriously bad at lying; she found it impossible to keep her eyes from straying and giving her away, let alone come up with lies on the spot._

 _"Not everything you say when you are undercover has to be a lie," Impa had continued. "For example, if I ask where you are from, you can say Kakariko City. Not every time, mind you, but when you need to convince the other person that you are not lying, then it helps to tell the truth."_

Link smiled to herself. Perhaps she was overthinking it all. After all, things like where she was from, hobbies and past-times, habits, and the like were unknown to the Yiga. Being herself was just as good a disguise as any other. Well, minus the being-a-girl part. Good thing she was already fairly tomboyish.

She tossed the wet towel to the floor, not caring that Vaati would yell at her later for it, and spread herself on the bed more comfortably. It was only 8 in the evening, but for some reason she was impatient for tomorrow to come. Tomorrow would be when she truly began her mission. The past week had only been an introduction. Tomorrow she would meet Zelda Nohansen, she would begin her analysis of the professors and students, she would begin to integrate herself into the school. She envisioned every interaction, playing it like a movie in her head, until she drifted off the sleep, the visions trailing into her dreams.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm really bad at writing in-game characters and keeping them in character, which is partly why I'm writing an AU. Characters like Vaati and Ghirahim may seem a little toned-down or just basically different from their game versions, but that's because in this universe they haven't been in an environment that would make them or allow them to be evil and villainous. Vaati is still going to be a self-righteous jerk, and Ghirahim absolutely full of himself, with a tendency for violence, and no sense of personal space, but not to the same extent. As for why these characters, who are not part of the repeating cycle, have been reborn in this era... we'll find out!

A thank you to AuroraDustDiamond for following this story!

* * *

Chapter 2

Link identified one of the Yiga spies almost immediately. It was a little disappointing, how easy it was to discover that one of her classmates, who went by Sal Vander, was 100%, no-doubt-about-it, a Yiga member. She walked into the first class-College Writing 101-to find one of the male students chowing down on a banana. First clue. Link sat herself next to him, holding out her hand in greeting and giving him a friendly smile.

"Hey, I'm Link! Mind if I sit here?"

She received a scowl. "Yeah, I do mind."

"It's not like I'm gonna steal your banana or anything," Link joked, still smiling.

To her surprise, he shoved the rest of the banana hurriedly into his mouth, somehow able to keep up his scowl around his bulging cheeks. "Don't trust Links," he huffed, barely intelligible. "Bunch of hero-wannabe's."

Second clue. For some reason that Link had never understood, all Yiga held an undying hatred towards anyone named Link. Just a mention of the name was enough for them to want to attack. They were often antagonistic towards anyone named Zelda, as well.

She kept smiling and holding out her hand. "I know, right? It's a super-overused name. My parents weren't super creative; I always wanted some sorta cool name, like Revali. Oh! Or like that guy Ghirahim. Now that's a cool name."

That seemed to relieve some of Sal's tension; he scowled less, at least. "Ghirahim's a cool guy." Finally, he shook Link's hand roughly. Her eyes darted down to his wrist. Peeking from under the watch on his wrist was a small tattoo of an eye with a teardrop. A casual observer would take it for a Sheikah symbol; however, this one was sideways and the ink was red. Third and final clue. The Yiga all had the same tattoo, usually on their wrist, for the purpose of identification. Because it was sideways and not upside down, an outsider would not suspect it represented the Yiga instead of the Sheikah, but the red color gave it away. All real Sheikah, if they had tattoos, had them in blue or black ink, never red.

Satisfied that she'd identified him for certain as one of her Yiga targets, Link dropped her hand and settled herself comfortably into her seat. This Yiga was obviously no threat. He was sloppy in hiding his identity and other than his in-bred antagonism towards Link, he lacked an attitude of suspicion of others, clear signs that he was a novice. After class, she would report it to Impa.

"He's something, for sure," she replied to the comment about Ghirahim. Sal, thankfully, did not seem to catch the thinly veiled disgust in her statement. Only that morning, she'd had her first encounter with the infamous 'Lord Ghirahim'.

 _It was on her way back to her room from breakfast in the cafeteria downstairs._ Link _was yawning repeatedly, wishing she could crawl back into bed. It never mattered how early or late she went to bed; she was always sleepy in the morning. Other than a good, adventurous mission, sleeping was definitely her favorite thing. Daydreaming of snuggling under her covers, she didn't notice someone tall and thin step out from one of the dorm rooms into the hall, right in front of her. Her face whacked into his chest._

 _"Sorry, sorry," she stammered, rubbing her forehead and stepping back. Looking down at her was none other than Ghirahim. He was a head and a half taller than her, with pale skin, dark eyes, and white hair that was long on one side and covered his eye. She wondered if the whole bangs-over-one-eye thing was a fad among guys or something._

 _He gave her a smile that was decidedly unpleasant; there was no friendliness at all in his eyes. Instead, he looked at her as though she were a plump and juicy piece of meat that he wanted to eat. "I don't believe we've met. You must be a first-year. I am Ghirahim, the dorm representative." He swept his arms to the side as he bowed gracefully. "I much prefer to go by my full title, Lord Ghirahim, but I'm not fussy."_

 _"Do you greet everyone that way?" Link frowned. Her face still hurt from running into his rock-hard chest. At least she was fully awake now._

 _Ghirahim clicked his tongue and shook his head. "My, so many of these first-years have no manners. It's proper to share your name when someone tells you theirs."_

 _"Link Forrester. From Kakariko City. Studying liberal arts. My room is at the end of the hall." Link smiled as patiently as possible. "Does that answer all your questions?" Being in Ghirahim's presence was making her incredibly uneasy, though she couldn't identify the exact reason. Well, probably because he was still looking at her like he wanted to eat her. The sooner she could make her escape, the better._

 _From behind him, she saw the door to her room at the end of the hall open, and Vaati stepped out. He froze, however, when he caught sight of Ghirahim in the hall. Link kept her eyes focused on the tall man in front of her. Vaati's response only made her more uneasy._

 _"For such a pretty face, you have a sharp tongue," Ghirahim smirked. He tossed his head, causing his bangs to flip away from his face. Then, suddenly, he leaned forward until his mouth was right by Link's ear. She froze out of instinct as his breath tickled her skin. "I think I will enjoy playing with you." Something wet and warm snaked over her ear._

 _The next moment, Ghirahim screamed and spewed some rather unlordly profanities as Link's knee made hard contact with his groin. Then she was speeding to her room, grabbing Vaati's arm and dragging him with her to safety._

Were she to voice her real thoughts out loud, Link's words of choice would be, "Slimy and disgusting." Unfortunately, he was one of the subjects she was supposed to observe, so there would be no avoiding him. Why such a person was allowed into Hyrule Academy's walls was beyond her. Probably the money again. She worried about any girls that got tangled up with him. If he had no qualms sexually harassing a guy, then she didn't want to imagine how he treated girls. Unless he was only interested in guys...

Link sighed and spread her arms out in front of her, her hands hanging off the edge of the table. She had a feeling this mission was going to hold some unpleasant surprises. Slowly, however, she smiled. She certainly had the challenge she'd asked for.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: A thank you to GlamAngel3766 and Koko0501 for following, and Redhybrid for favoriting this story!

I feel that when it comes to teachers, the characters that are used are usually Rauru, Gaepora, or Sahashrala. While that makes sense, I decided to go with a different character than usual. I just recently beat Breath of the Wild so you'll probably be seeing characters and things from that game in here a lot, haha (by the way, Link's appearance in this is based on Link's BotW look). Also, I'm bad at making up names. 'Enlil' is Sumerian for 'lord of the wind', and 'Tiv' is a name I made up, taken from 'traveler', because the Yiga are always disguised as travelers. *shrugs*

* * *

Chapter 3

 _11:00am_  
 _Second Class: Introduction to Mythology_

"Good morning, everyone!" The woman that strode into Link's Intro to Mythology course was panting, her white hair messily tied back. She flung her bag onto the front table and smiled at the class sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late. Somehow, even though I try to make sure I'm on time for class, and especially for the first class, something always comes up." She sighed. "Well, I am your instructor for Mythology. Please call me Paya-I don't really like being formal, so you don't have to call me Professor or anything."

Link stared at the woman disinterestedly. She'd already known whom her instructor would be, so she wasn't surprised to see that it was her sister Paya. They weren't sisters by blood, of course-Paya was Impa's daughter, eight years older than Link-and they weren't very close. While Impa was known as one the fiercest of the Sheikah, Paya had always been rather timid. Due to their different temperaments, Paya had not been trained as a Sheikah agent, that position instead being passed on to the adopted Link. When Link was ten, Paya left for Hyrule Academy to study ancient Hylian history. They had rarely seen each other since then.

As Paya read through the attendance sheet, Link turned her gaze to a different spot, two rows in front of her and a little to the left. There sat a golden-haired girl, her textbook and notebook set out neatly in front of her, pencil already poised to take notes. Zelda Nohansen. She sat with a seat open on either side of her; it seemed no one was brave enough to sit next to the 'Princess'.

"Vaati Enlil."

"Present," the violet-haired man replied from the row behind Link. He'd refused to sit next to his roommate, shooting the blonde vicious daggers that said "sit here and I'll put bats in your bed", the moment she'd walked into the classroom.

"Link Forrester," Paya called out.

"Here." The instructor looked up at Link's voice, blinked, then nodded and moved on. Link wondered how Impa's genes could have been totally lost on Paya. Even if Link's hair had been cut short and she wore boy's clothes, you would think the white-haired woman would recognize her adopted sister. But Link let it go. After all, it would only be more troublesome if she were found out. Paya had no clue that the disguised girl was on a Sheikah mission. She'd have to be careful.

"Zelda Nohansen."

"Present," Zelda said in a clear voice. Link's eyes drifted to the girl again. What a sweet voice. She probably was good at singing, Link thought absently.

In truth, her focus was not on Zelda, nor Paya, who had begun talking about herself in introduction. Instead, she was listening to the female student who had somehow managed to sit next to Vaati without getting threatened (actually, Vaati only treated Link that way, lucky her). If she had eyes on the back of her head, they'd be fixed right on the brown haired girl.

Link was 81% sure the girl in question was a Yiga. She bore the tell-tale tattoo on her wrist, not even covered up. Her manner was not disagreeable, however; in fact, she had gone around and introduced herself to everyone before class had begun. Not an eyelash did she bat when she met Link and heard the blonde's name. She just replied cheerfully, "I'm Tiv, nice to meet you!"

It was not so much that Link doubted if this 'Tiv' was Yiga or not; rather, she was perplexed as to why she went so far to cover up her Yiga character and yet left her tattoo exposed. It couldn't be called carelessness, like in Sal Vander's case. So if it wasn't carelessness, it had to be intentional.

Another thing that was curious was that, instead of seating herself next to Zelda, like Link predicted, Tiv had chosen Vaati. Perhaps she was disguising who her real target was. This was a much more skilled agent...

"Link?" Paya's voice cut into the Hylian's train of thought. When Link looked at her blankly, she said, "We're sharing our majors as well as one interesting thing about ourselves."

"Ah. Well, liberal arts, and..." One interesting thing? Link could think of a million interesting things. 'I'm actually a girl ', 'I'm a Sheikah spy', 'I have a weapons collection at home'. Smiling, she decided to go for something safe. "I met a Korok once."

Vaati muttered, loud enough for Link to hear, "You have to say something real."

Paya, however, had become excited at Link's statement, clasping her hands together, eyes shining. "Really?! I thought they had gone extinct because of deforestation."

"Yeah..." Link's smile faded. "It was when I was pretty young. There was a forest at the edge of Kakariko City; that's where I saw it, hiding in the trees, but that forest was removed a few years ago. By now... Well, maybe they found a different place to hide in."

Their instructor nodded seriously. "Koroks are notoriously good at hiding. We'll make sure to go over them later in the course!"

Then she moved on to the student next to Link, going in order of seats. Link paid a little more attention this time, especially when it came to Tiv's turn.

"My major is undecided," she chirped. "As for something interesting, I've participated in the Gerudo Archers' Guild and won second place."

A chorus of 'oooh's answered her statement. The Gerudo Archers' Guild was an annual archery competition that only the best of the best archers in all of Hyrule could hope to participate in. Over the course of three days, the participants were put through nearly impossible drills while the nation watched on TV. In the end only one person would come away with a medal that designated them as a member of the prestigious Guild. Link had always dreamed of someday entering; her skills with a bow were certainly good enough.

This 'Tiv' might have her beat, though. She'd keep that in mind.

"Now for... Vaati, right?" Paya said, double checking her attendance sheet before looking up and smiling at the violet-haired man.

He sighed quietly, like he'd rather not share anything, but calmly answered, "I am studying ancient history, particularly ancient technology and magic. My dream is to bring magic back to Hyrule as it once used to be." Vaati's face was solemn and serious. "I don't believe that something so important simply vanished."

"That's certainly an admirable dream! There are lots of different theories about magic-whether it ever existed, if traces of it still linger today, and so on. It's a big part of the ancient myths, so we'll discuss that here sometime." Paya's smile was wide; she seemed happy to have so many students interested in these topics connected with myth.

They soon moved on to reading the syllabus and exploring their first myth, that of the creation of Hyrule by the three Goddesses. In myth, there were often several variations to the stories: names appeared in different forms, like Farore/Faron/Farosh or Nayru/Lanayru/Naydra; the order of events might be switched-was the Triforce created before or after the birth of Hyrule? For the most part, though, the story was familiar to all. Despite religion having mostly faded from modern day Hyrule, the stories continued, told to children before bed, seen in museums, and expressed in art.

"So myth, you see," Paya said as the students began packing up in anticipation, "never fades away. It's an integral part of our identity, both as a country and as individuals. You'll see it pop up everywhere. Well, see you next time!" She waved as a few students stood and exited the classroom.

Link stood and stretched her arms up above her head, yawning. Her next class wasn't until four. Rubbing her head, she knelt and grabbed her backpack, hoisting it onto one shoulder. Carefully she turned her blue eyes to the blonde girl in front of her. Zelda was putting her books into her bag in a very organized fashion. Link considered talking to her, but with Tiv still in the classroom, she feared giving herself away.

The spy made her decision and trotted out of the classroom. For now, she would keep her distance from Zelda, as well as Tiv, and observe them both.

She was surprised, then, when she was sitting in the cafeteria, about to dig into some curry rice, to look up to see the Princess herself standing by the table, a tray in her hands and blue eyes downcast. Link blinked up at her questioningly. "Would it be alright if I sit here?" Zelda asked in her melodic voice.

"Uh, of course. Zelda, right?" Link said, curious about the out-of-the-blue request.

Zelda nodded. "And you are Link, correct?" She received a nod in reply. For a few moments, she kept her gaze directed towards her salad, as though deliberating what to do next. Just as Link was thinking to say something to get rid of the strained silence, Zelda's head shot up, and she fixed her blue eyes on Link's face. Her eyes were hard, her soft features serious. Link immediately grew still. She could see in the other girl's face that there was something deadly important going on.

"I have a question for you."


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: A grand thank-you to Meyshari, cursedcitrus, and NorthStar2003 for adding this story to their faves and follows lists!

As I mentioned on my profile update, life has been a bit busy. The Best Lies has been revolving in my head, though. I think I'm getting an idea of what the big plot will be. Like I said, this is a bit as-I-go, so we'll see where the story goes! I think that makes it fun in its own way.

* * *

Chapter 4

Link kept her eyes locked on Zelda's face, waiting for her to ask her question. The girl's mouth opened, but she hesitated again, before finally saying, "Are you-"

Her words turned into a startled yelp as an unbelievably loud ringtone rang out from the table behind them. Link and Zelda turned to look at the culprit; a burly red headed guy was leisurely fishing in his pocket for his phone, which continued to screech the unmistakable tune of "Single Ladies". His companions, one short and black-haired, the other tall and blond, hunkered their shoulders as they waited for the horrible ringing to end. Finally the guy got his phone and answered with a quick, "Yeah, it's Groose."

Link closed her eyes and shook her head, then turned back to Zelda. "You were going to ask me something?"

To her surprise, the girl shook her head and scrambled to her feet, grabbing her tray. "No, it's nothing." Before Link could say anything, Zelda had already rushed away. She stared at her retreating back in confusion. What had all that been about?

* * *

 _1:30pm_

 _Location: Nohansen Library, Hyrule Royal Academy_

"Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Link grinned, plopping down in the seat next to Vaati, who was obviously absorbed in reading his mythology textbook. Her roommate ignored her. Disappointed by his lack of reaction, she leaned over so she could read the book too, pointedly invading his personal space.

Vaati hissed and pushed her away, sticking his palm full on her face, but still not breaking his gaze from the pages. The mumbled protests under his hand were also ignored. That is, until he felt teeth on his skin.

"Nayru's love!" Vaati whipped his hand away, whisper-shouting. He quickly wiped his palm on his shirt. "Are you a child?!"

Link grinned and shrugged. "If it works, it works," she chuckled. Her roommate hissed in disgust, shifting his chair a few inches away from the blonde. "What are you studying, anyways? We don't have any homework yet."

"I'm looking for anything about magic," he muttered. "Unlike _some_ students here, I'm actually interested in accomplishing something with my time here." Link watched as he underlined a section of text and scribbled some notes in the margin. ' _A blessing of the Goddesses? Goddesses took it away?'_

"Ever seen magic?" Link queried, genuinely curious.

Vaati paused and cast the Hylian a glance from his one red eye. It narrowed. "Would you even believe me if I said yes?" he muttered.

"Actually, I'm pretty good at that. Believing hard-to-believe things, I mean. I've seen a Korok, a dragon, a Blupee, a man disguised as a Gerudo..." Link counted off on her fingers, chuckling a little at the last one. "And I've seen magic, too." Her eyes flicked back up to Vaati.

This instantly caught Vaati's full attention. He turned to face Link, his former annoyance gone in a flash, replaced with eager attention as he learned forward slightly. Then he seemed to check himself, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "What kind of magic? When? Where?"

"I think when I was twelve? There was this traveling dancer who called herself Din, and she always ended her last dance with a spell called Din's Fire." Link spread her arms wide. "It was this ring of fire that just emanated from her. I thought it was just a fancy trick but my mom told me it was actually a spell." Her 'mom' being Impa, though she never called the Sheikah woman 'mom' in person. It was just simpler to refer to her that way around others.

Vaati nodded. He'd grabbed his notebook while she was talking and quickly wrote out notes. "Din's Fire is a very specific spell, traditionally only attainable through the blessing of the Goddess herself. Then there's Farore's Wind and Nayru's Love." He smirked. "Oddly we remember the names of these spells, but only as curses or exclamations. This dancer, you said her name was Din? What did she look like?"

Link scratched her head. "Well, she had red hair up in a big ponytail with a gold hairband... Here, lemme draw her." She tugged Vaati's notebook out of his hands and snatched his pencil as well. Her roommate grumbled but didn't try to take them back.

Expertly the Hylian sketched out the dancer, her thick ponytail swaying as she twirled in the midst of her dance, gold bracelets and ribbons trailing around her, her skin-tight clothing accentuating her movement. You could sense the motion even though the picture was completely still.

"Like this, if I remember correctly," Link stated, returning the notebook and pencil.

Vaati frowned at the sketch on the page. "Didn't you say you saw her when you were twelve? How could you remember this much detail?"

"Ah, I've always had a strong photographic memory," Link shrugged. That, and years of training her eyes and memory to see and remember every detail of her surroundings, and doubly so for people. Her drawing skills too came from this training.

Maybe she was imagining things, but she thought she saw Vaati look the least bit impressed. Not one to pass up an opportunity to tease him, Link winked at her roommate and said slyly, "Don't fall in love, now."

Vaati's expression immediately changed to annoyance. "Not in a million years," he stated, snatching back his notebook. The violet-haired student started packing his books into his backpack. "You might be gay, but I'm not. And even if I were, I'd never like someone like you. Sloppy and too easy going, not to mention you can't take anything seriously."

Link stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide, frozen completely. She didn't say a single word, and gradually Vaati snapped at her, "Stop staring at me like that!"

She blinked, then laughed. "What'd you just say?"

"That you never take things seriously?"

"Before that. Like, the second thing you said."

Vaati frowned. "That you're gay and I'm not?"

He startled back as Link let out a peal of laughter. Several other students jumped at the sound, suddenly breaking the quiet peace of the library. She covered her mouth but couldn't stop the sound completely. Her roommate stared at her like she had bats flying out of her ears. Then he scowled and marched away.

"W-wait, Vaati! Haha, sorry!" Link trotted after him, calling out an apology to the disturbed library as she left. She managed to quell her laughter, but a grin remained on her face. "Wait up!"

There was no escaping her, once she decided to stick around Vaati, and he seemed to realize this. He slowed down ever so slightly and heaved an exasperated sigh. "What, Link?" he snapped.

"You've got it wrong," Link chuckled. She patted Vaati on the back in a friendly way. "I'm not gay. I just like teasing you, 'cause it's so easy to get a reaction out of you. Whew, that was the best one yet!" She wiped a tear from her eye.

Vaati cast her a dubious glare. "So I'm just a source of amusement to you," he said dryly.

She nodded, still grinning. "But saying it like that makes it sound like a bad thing. How about... you make my world a brighter place, you are the only one that can bring a smile to my face just by being near me, I yearn to see you when we are apart-" Her words were abruptly cut off when Vaati slapped his hand over her mouth. She was pleased to see the tips of his ears were red.

"Stop acting like that! People are going to get the wrong idea," he hissed.

She rolled her eyes but then nodded. Cautiously, Vaati pulled back his hand. "O-kay. I won't tease you like that. On one condition: you let me hang out with you."

Vaati's scowl deepened. "You hang around me whether I want you to or not." He sighed in defeat. "But whatever. Just no more of that kind of stuff. Ever."

Link nodded and stuck out her hand. "Deal!" Her roommate shook her hand quickly, then let go as though her hand were slimy.

They parted ways after that, Vaati to the dorms, Link to the building her four o'clock class would be held. Link let her smile linger on her face as she walked, but her thoughts grew gradually more serious. Her purpose in being friendly with Vaati wasn't just because she enjoyed teasing him. She'd noticed the violet-haired student had a shadow: in the cafeteria, in the library, even now as he walked to class. Link didn't let her eyes stray to the brown-haired girl who was casually following Vaati down the hall. It seemed that Tiv's target was not Zelda, but rather Vaati, and this perplexed Link. She had been so open in interacting with him in their Mythology class, and yet now she was hiding and watching him from afar. An object of the Yiga's interest was an object of interest for Link. Vaati was not on her original watch list, but she figured it wouldn't be too hard to keep an eye on her roommate as well as her other targets.

 _"Be careful of taking on too much at once."_ Impa's words of warning murmured in Link's head. " _You are skilled, yes, and you are capable of completing high-level missions, but you are only one person. Don't let overconfidence jeopardize the mission."_

Link wondered why such words came to her at that moment. It was in this thoughtful, quiet mood that she waited for her third class.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: For those here for the LinkxVaati pairing (I'm sure you're out there!) I promise it'll come up eventually. I've personally challenged myself to make it as subtle as possible and not focus on the romance as much as I usually like to (I'm a hopeless romantic, so it's pretty hard!).

Thank you xForeverGamerx and austinfoushee22 for following!

And thank you to the guest who reviewed - I'm glad you like my female Link. Hehe, Vaati is definitely fun to write, so I'm glad you are liking him as well! I'm trying my best to keep his character consistent.

* * *

Chapter 5

 _Next day, Tuesday, 9:05am  
_ _Location: Farore Dorms Common Room  
_ _Status: Being lectured by Vaati_

"What's the point of getting out of bed if you're just going to nap here?!"

The said napping figure just grunted and rolled over on the couch, ignoring Vaati's exasperated words. Eventually, though, she turned her head to look at him. "I don't have class till two. And shouldn't you be happy I'm not bugging you?"

"You're so lazy, it bugs me just to look at you," Vaati replied flatly.

Link blinked several times at him and said in a hurt voice, "You could at least _try_ to sound nice to me."

Her roommate sighed and turned back to reading his textbook, shifting slightly in his chair so that Link wasn't in his field of vision. At least he stopped nagging. Link shut her eyes again and resumed what she'd been doing, which was pretending to nap. As much as she did love sleep, even she knew there were more important things to be doing. Such as devising her plan for the day.

Her first priorities were Tiv and Zelda. The second girl she would see in class later that day; she intended to ask her about their brief encounter in the cafeteria yesterday. It was strange, how serious Zelda had seemed about her question, and yet how quickly she had decided not to ask it. Link hadn't the faintest clue as to what Zelda could have wanted from her, seeing as they had never even spoken before. As for Tiv, Link intended to follow the Yiga throughout the day and gather what clues she could as to her purpose at the academy. Also on her list was to gather information about Ghirahim, if she had time.

With this plan in mind, Link pushed herself up off the couch and stretched her arms. Vaati glanced at her briefly. "I'm going for a walk," she explained with a yawn.

* * *

 _Time: 10:00am  
_ _Location: Rhoam Study Hall_

Link's walk took her all the way to the Rohan Study Hall. She assumed that Vaati would study before his eleven o'clock class, in a place near his classroom, and she was right. He sat in a quiet corner of the study hall, skimming through his textbook. He didn't notice his roommate watching him. She was by one of the walls, pretending to play on her smartphone, but she kept her attention on the purple-haired student. Perhaps he felt her gaze, because he looked up from his textbook and glanced around, frowning slightly. Link didn't worry when his eye flickered over to her. All Vaati saw was her disguise as a red-headed girl with glasses, not his blonde male roommate.

At last, the person she was waiting for showed her face. Tiv strode confidently into the study hall, bobbing her head as though listening to music. She seemed to catch sight of Vaati, because she abruptly turned her steps to his corner of the hall.

"Hi, Vaati!" Tiv greeted him cheerfully. Link picked up her voice through the listening device she wore, disguised as earbuds.

He looked up at the brown-haired girl and frowned slightly. After a moment's hesitation, he relaxed and replied, "Tiv, right?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yup! Hey, do you mind if I study here, too?"

"If you really want to." Vaati returned a tiny, polite smile. Link resisted rolling her eyes; he was probably scowling inside for having his space invaded, bud he was always barely polite on the outside to everyone and hid his annoyance - that is, for everyone but Link. He made no attempt to hide his contempt around her. "I have class in an hour, though, so I will be leaving before too long," he added as Tiv set down her bag by the table and settled herself into the seat across from him. It was a subtle attempt to discourage her, Link knew, but the brown-haired girl didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, what class? Ancient history?" Tiv asked in an excited voice.

"Actually, yes." Vaati looked surprised. "Why? Are you taking that class, too?"

"I am! That's so cool, we have two classes together!" Link frowned; she knew it couldn't be coincidence that the Yiga was in more than one class with Vaati, further confirming her suspicions that Vaati was Tiv's target.

But what for? From the brief profile she had received on Vaati, Link couldn't find anything that would attract the Yiga's attention. By now, she had enough evidence to confidently label Tiv as a Yiga spy and turn her in to the Sheikah, but her curiosity got the better of her. Why would a Yiga of Tiv's skill level be assigned to Vaati? Did it have a connection with the Yiga clan's overall purpose in infiltrating the academy? Link didn't want to risk taking Tiv out of the picture and cutting off any leads she might gain from her.

She fiddled with her earbuds. There wasn't any way for her to keep an eye on Tiv during their Ancient History class. Link would have to hide a recording device on Vaati next time, then.

Tiv and Vaati didn't chat much after that, instead turning to their books. Link stayed where she was the whole time, though after a while she grew tired of using her phone and put it away, resting her head and arms on the table in front of her as though taking a nap. She kept her attention fixed on the two students in the corner of the hall. Around 10:45 they both headed into their classroom.

Link lingered a few minutes, then pushed herself off the table and stretched. She sighed lightly. As wonderful as a nap did sound, she didn't have time to be idle. Every minute she spent at the academy was for the purpose of uncovering the Yiga and any plans they were devising. Even her playful bantering with Vaati was part of the job, building up her cover as just a normal student. Link gathered up her things and walked out of the study hall. Her next task was one she had mixed feelings about: asking the boys in the dorm about the notorious 'Lord' Ghirahim.

* * *

 _Report: Tuesday 8-16 23:18  
_ _Member: Link_

 _Suspect Tiv is in two classes with Vaati Enlil. My suspicions are that she is targeting him. Purpose unknown as yet. Will bug Enlil and continue observing both._

 _Concerning Ghirahim, I gathered reports from several boys in the Farore Dorms. One reported a case in which he saw the suspect and another male student in what looked to be a near-violent encounter; he was some distance away and only saw this in passing, so he couldn't provide further detail than that. A second witness reported that a friend had been threatened and bribed by Ghirahim into keeping some sort of secret; the friend would not reveal to the witness any hint of what he'd been forced to keep quiet about. Questioning others only resulted in similar reports that lacked conclusive detail. Concrete evidence will require a more concentrated approach._

 _Suspect under the name Oliver Milligan, professor of Contemporary Mathematics, cannot at this time be conclusively identified as a Yiga spy or not. I will continue observation._

 _Lastly, Zelda Nohansen, after approaching me yesterday as mentioned in my previous report, appeared to avoid me today in math class. Gaining information from her was unsuccessful. On the other hand, gaining Vaati Enlil's trust has been easy. I will learn more about him and attempt to uncover what it is that the Yiga want from him._

Link sent the report from her smartphone through the secure Sheikah app designed for such communication. Her dorm room was dark save for the glow from her phone's screen. Vaati liked to go to bed precisely at 10:00, conveniently giving Link the time she needed to send her daily reports without being seen. She wasn't sure if she could call the day successful or not. Any progress she had made was tiny compared to the long list of unanswered questions she had surrounding the Yiga, Ghirahim, Zelda, and Vaati.

She heard a grumble from across the room, and then the rustle of blankets. "Can you turn that off already?" Vaati complained. "I can't sleep with you shining that all over. Do you have it on the brightest setting or something?"

"Maaaaybe," Link smirked, but she shut off the phone and slipped it under her pillow. "Sorry, I'll let you get your beauty sleep."

There was another grumble, and then a few moments of silence before Vaati sighed. "Why'd you come to the academy, Link? You don't take your studies seriously at all, you stay up late and sleep in and nap all the time... It's probably some stupid reason, isn't it?"

Link chuckled, unoffended by his harsh words, and rolled onto her back. It was the first time he'd ever inquired about her in a personal way, though the way he went about it was rough as usual. "Maybe I just wanted to see what it's like here."

"What do you mean, 'maybe'?"

She continued, "Or maybe it's because there's a girl here that I like. Or maybe because I'm actually a spy sent here to watch you." The last comment was partly the truth, but Vaati perceived it as just another joke, sighing in exasperation. Link smiled to herself. She knew he wouldn't believe her, so she had no qualms mentioning that she might be a spy. "I'm here to find something," she said after a moment's pause, in a more serious tone. "Just like you. But I can't tell you what it is."

Her roommate didn't answer, just sighed quietly. Link settled more comfortably in her bed and closed her eyes. She was on the edge of sleep when she barely heard Vaati murmur, "I hope we both find what we're looking for."


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: So I know not a lot really happened in the last chapter. This chapter, I'm planning to make things become more dangerous for our heroine. A character who hasn't been seen since chapter two will also be back in this chapter.

It's really exciting to get more followers each chapter! Welcome to esty1315 and Ashlen the Moonstruck Aquarius! I hope everyone is enjoying so far.

*snaps fingers* Without further ado...!

* * *

Chapter 6

 _Week Three, Wednesday  
_ _Location: Room 503C  
_ _Status: Engaged in group work for Mythology class_

It was the best luck she'd had in two weeks. Tiv avoided Link if possible, and when she thought the blonde wasn't around or wasn't able to interfere, she was fast by Vaati's side. Despite keeping a close eye on the Yiga and even bugging Vaati so she could listen in on their conversations, Link hadn't gained a single bit of useful information that could help her pinpoint why Tiv was targeting Vaati. It was near impossible to directly talk to her - she'd already made multiple unsuccessful attempts to do so. But now, in their Mythology class, Link, Zelda, Vaati, and Tiv had been grouped together. Link smiled in a friendly way at Tiv, but her real thoughts were, _Finally got you!_

"So, which myth do we want to do?" Vaati asked the group. They'd been given the task of choosing from five different mythical places and applying the theory they'd learned in class previously. "Skyloft, the Lost Woods, the Minish Woods, Termina, or Koholint Island?"

Tiv's hand immediately popped up. "I vote for Minish Woods!"

Nibbling on the end of her pencil, Link leaned forward to look through the list that Vaati held. "We have to identify a story that goes with the place..." she mumbled thoughtfully.

"That would be the legend of the Minish Cap," Zelda offered in her quiet voice. "Where the Hero befriended the Minish and fought the Wind Sorceror, Va..." She trailed off, eyes straying to Vaati's face as though she wasn't sure if he'd approve of what she was about to say.

"The Wind Sorcerer Vaati," he confirmed calmly.

The others looked at him curiously. "Your parents named you after an evil sorcerer?" Tiv blurted out the words everyone was thinking.

"Something along those lines. And if you want to know why, I don't know either. I never met them, so obviously I couldn't ask what possessed them to do so." Vaati pushed the assignment paper away from himself. "I'm fine with doing the Minish Woods," he stated, clearly trying to end that particular conversation.

Tiv completely ignored the hint and fired another question at the purple-haired man. "So is that why you want to bring back magic? Because, like, he was so good at magic that some people even called him a god!"

"He abused magic. I have no desire to be like an evil madman that was repeatedly sealed away and never learned his lesson. I'm not answering any more questions," Vaati almost snapped when he saw Tiv open her mouth again. "Let's get this assignment done already."

* * *

After class, Link lingered in the classroom doorway while Zelda neatly packed her bag. She blinked her blue eyes when she saw Link waiting for her.

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to grab lunch together?" Link asked with a friendly smile.

But the girl shook her head, not meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry, I have to study."

"We could eat in the hall where you usually study. And I can buy lunch for both of us, my treat."

Zelda knit her brows. "How do you know where I usually study...?"

Link chuckled and rubbed the back of her head as though she were embarrassed. "Sorry, I've been sort of following you sometimes? I've just wanted to talk to you. You got me really curious about what you were trying to ask me the first day in the cafeteria." Seeing Zelda's eyes flicker uncertainly, she added, "But we don't have to talk about that, if you don't want." The goal, of course, was to find out Zelda's question, but for now it seemed that Link needed to build trust with her classmate. "Also, it's boring eating lunch with Vaati lately. All he does is glare at me when I talk."

Her classmate hesitated, but finally nodded. "I don't mind," she conceded.

They grabbed lunch from the cafeteria and then headed to the lower hall that led out of the main building. It was generally unused and quiet, and Link could see why Zelda chose it as her study spot. They sat down across from each other at a table by an open window. Link promptly dug into her lunch, which was a sloppy joe sandwich with plenty of cheese.

Zelda quietly ate her sub sandwich. She watched the trees outside as she ate. Link kept checking the girl's expression, but it seemed like she was determined not to give anything away. Her face was calm and blank.

She was the one to finally break the silence, however. "Are you friends with Vaati?" Zelda asked, at last moving her blue eyes away from the window to look at Link.

The blonde mulled over the question for a moment, then shrugged and grinned. "We're just roommates. I like hanging out with him, but I'm pretty sure he hates my guts." She laughed.

"Do you think he's serious about wanting to bring back magic?"

It wasn't a question Link was expecting, but she replied easily, "Yeah. That's all he ever focuses on. I think someday he might actually be able to do it."

At this, Zelda shook her head roughly, eyes wide and body tense. "That's dangerous!" she said. Link was taken aback by how loud and firm her voice was when she said those words. "Magic is dangerous. Why do you think it was sealed away? In all the myths, magic is what allowed evil to destroy Hyrule time and time again. Even the Tri-Force, which was meant for good, was the cause of so many calamities..." Suddenly, it was like she deflated, her shoulders sagging and eyes dropping to look at the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout," she apologized in a whisper.

"No worries," Link replied, giving her a friendly smile. "You do have a point, and I'm sure there's a reason you feel that way about it. Magic's something that could be used for good or evil. I have a question, though..." She paused to give Zelda a chance to turn her down if she wanted. When the girl said nothing, Link cautiously proposed her question.

"Do you think it's dangerous because Vaati is the one trying to bring it back?"

The way Zelda's eyes quickly flew to Link's face, and then away, suggested that she was right. Zelda gave no reply to the question. Instead, she stood, grabbing her bag.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Thank you for lunch, Link," she said apologetically. Then she was walking away.

Link made no move to follow. She crossed her arms and stared out at the trees while she thought carefully about the exchange she'd just had with Zelda. An inkling of an idea was beginning to form, but she knew to approach ideas cautiously. It seemed to her that the object of interest was not actually Vaati; or rather, he was just the means to the real object. That object being magic.

If her hunch was correct, the Yiga wanted Vaati to bring back magic for their own purposes. They might even go as far as to try to recruit him. Meanwhile, Zelda wished for the opposite, though Link wasn't sure why the girl distrusted Vaati. Zelda didn't seem the type to fear someone just because of a name, and yet Link couldn't pick out anything that could have made her feel so.

While she was mulling this over, there was a sudden brisk breeze from the window that made Link's bangs sway, followed by a thunk in the wall. Link quickly turned her head to see an arrow embedded in the wall. She shot to her feet and moved back from the open window, scanning the yard for any movement, though she knew it was futile. Yiga were notoriously skilled at vanishing. No one else would randomly try to shoot her with an arrow.

Cautiously Link walked over to the arrow. The arrowhead had pierced all the way into the plaster wall, so that only the shaft was visible. A paper was tied to the metal shaft.

 _'If she awakens, or if he is prevented from doing his research, the next arrow will not miss._ '

Link furrowed her brow. 'If she awakens' - did they mean Zelda? But what did they mean by 'awaken'? 'He' was most likely referring to Vaati and his research into magic. Did this threat mean that they knew she was a spy, or was it simply a warning to anyone who got too close to Zelda or Vaati? She sighed heavily and tugged the arrow out of the wall. Her list of questions just kept growing.

She twirled the arrow in her hand as she walked out of the hall, back to the dorm. When she got to her room, she greeted Vaati with a cheerful smile. "Look what I found stuck in a wall!" she said, sticking it in front of his face, ignoring that he was obviously reading a book and making him scowl.

Link hid her lingering uneasiness under a smile and continued to bug her roommate. Whatever was going on, Link didn't plan to let Vaati know about it.

* * *

 _The next day, Thursday, 8:00am  
_ _Location: Farore Dorms Gym_

Link hummed along to the music pulsing through her earbuds as she ran on one of the treadmills. She was grateful that each dorm had their own personal gym. It was important for her to stay in top shape, which was sometimes difficult to do on certain missions. As a young male college student, however, no one would be suspicious of Link for exercising each morning.

The treadmill beeped at her, informing her that she'd reached the end of her half-hour run. The belt gradually slowed to a stop. Link pulled out her earbuds and paused to let her breathing return to normal, downing the rest of her water and stretching out her arms. Each morning, she got up at 7:00 and headed to the gym to do her warm-ups, crunches, pull-ups, planks, and then thirty minutes on the treadmill, ending with stretches so she wouldn't be sore. After that, it was off to the showers. There were usually only a few other students in the small gym when she was there.

She was in the middle of her stretches when a certain white-haired man sauntered into the gym. A snake-like grin spread over Ghirahim's lips when he spotted Link, and he turned his steps towards her. Link cursed internally, but kept her face carefully neutral.

"It has been a while," Ghirahim greeted her. "Link, wasn't it?"

"How lucky of me that you remembered my name," she replied, continuing on with her stretches as though he weren't there. Link wondered why she felt so uncomfortable around him. True, he had invaded her space and made some suggestive comments the last time they'd met, and he had a reputation for being violent, but that still didn't account for the intensity of dislike and discomfort that filled her whenever she saw him.

He didn't seem to notice her lack of friendliness. As she stretched out her legs, he just watched her, that smile still on his face. "Do you come here often?"

"Occasionally," Link replied shortly.

Ghirahim was suddenly next to her, his hands snaking out to grab her arm. Link flinched at how cold his fingers were as he traced the muscles in her upper arm. She jerked free from him, but he just smirked. "The strength in your arms suggests otherwise. You are built like an athlete. What sport do you compete in? Track, perhaps, or soccer?"

Link shook her head. "I used to do a little archery," she said as she stood and grabbed her empty water bottle and bag, tossing her phone into the bag and slinging it onto her shoulder. "I'm off to the showers. See ya." _Hopefully not..._

To her great chagrin, Ghirahim followed her out of the gym. Link tried her best to ignore him, but when he continued to follow her even into the shower locker room, she turned around and narrowed her blue eyes at her. "What do you want?"

"I am merely curious about you." The white-haired man smiled and crossed his arms, leaning against the lockers. "You remind me a great deal of a person I used to know. Those fierce blue eyes of yours are exactly the same." His black eyes scanned her face. Gradually, his smile faded into something more serious. "I detested him with my entire being. Always, he got in my way, with his constant sickening _courage_ and that look in his eyes as he tried to stop me." Ghirahim's pale cheek twitched. "Looking at you brings back that boiling anger in my soul."

Faster than Link could move, Ghirahim darted forward, pinning her to the lockers with his hand gripping her jaw painfully. She could see the hatred burning deep in his black eyes as he stared at her. "I would really rather not waste all my time watching you, so I'll leave you with a warning now: do not get in my way, like he did. I tend to indulge in a little violence when I'm angry, and it would be a shame to gouge out such nice blue eyes." He licked his lips and released her, stepping back and slowly smiling once again. "Enjoy a nice, hot shower, Link." He gracefully sauntered away, leaving Link reeling from yet another threat against her life.

"This may be getting out of hand..." she murmured to the empty locker room.

* * *

A/N: So, that ended up longer than planned. What relation does Ghirahim have to the other events going on? I'm not sure I'm happy with the last scene, so I might change it; not sure. Drop a review and let me know what you think!

Coming up next: Link and Vaati take a weekend trip to Kakariko City!


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you to my guest reviewer; it makes my heart happy to know you're enjoying my story! I'm glad that chapter delivered the excitement I was aiming for. I'll do my best to continue updating without too much time in between chapters. I, too, know the agony of waiting for the next chapter of a good fanfic.

Shout out to new followers FandomHopperETC, Faby0411, and Kana368!

VaatixLink... does that pair have a better name? VaaLink? Someone tell me the proper name so I don't make a fool out of myself, haha. Anyways, I'm trying to say that there will be some development in Link and Vaati's relationship in this chapter! Kind of. Sort of. It's there if you look for it!

* * *

Chapter 7

 _Friday morning, 8:42am_

 _Vaati and Link's room_

Various articles of clothing were spread messily on Link's unmade bed, some halfheartedly folded and tossed into an open suitcase. Link scratched her head and frowned as she surveyed the mess. "Should I bring extra underwear...?" she muttered. "Nah, I left some at home. Should be good!" With that, she tossed a few more shirts into the suitcase and zipped it up.

Vaati came in through the open door, hair still damp from his morning shower, and paused when he saw the mess in Link's side of the room. "Are you going somewhere?" he squinted slightly, like he always did when he was confused.

"Yup," his roommate answered cheerfully. She plopped onto her bed, making no move to clear it off first. "I'm spending the weekend at home back in Kakariko City. Wanna come?"

"If you leave the room like this, so help me, I am never going to help you with your homework again," Vaati scowled. He pointedly kept to his much cleaner side of the room as he walked to his desk and grabbed a comb and hair tie.

Link chuckled to herself. A lot of people called Vaati self-righteous and a jerk, and maybe he was a little bit, but it seemed to Link that he really just had a spiky shell to protect himself with. Honestly, it made her curious to know what it was that he was trying to hide. From what she knew, he was like her, an orphan who never knew his parents, but lucky enough to have had a guardian that could give him a good education. Vaati was prickly, but he wasn't a bad person. That's what Link thought.

"You didn't answer my question!" she called. Vaati glanced over and frowned. "I said, you wanna come?"

Her question was greeted by nearly a full minute of blank staring, then squinting, then frowning, and finally scowling, before Vaati actually said anything. "Why?" he asked slowly, clearly suspicious.

 _Because I have to go talk directly with Impa about everything that's going on, but I can't leave you here over the weekend where I can't watch you and risk something happening with you, like Tiv brainwashing you to become a Yiga._ That was the real reason, but of course she couldn't say so.

Link grinned as she told her roommate a different version. "Because I thought you might like to see a few things, instead of reading about them. Have you ever been to Kakariko City?" Vaati slowly shook his head. "Well, it's traditionally the home of the Sheikah, who used to have some really cool technology, some of it even better than the stuff we've got now; probably because they combined their tech with magic. There's a museum about the Sheikah full of relics. And - get this - my mom is the head curator, so she has access to the archives and stuff that's not out on display, not to mention that we get in for free..."

She was pleased to see Vaati's interest growing. The scowl eased from his face and was replaced with a slight frown, but he was listening to her carefully. When she trailed off and looked at him expectantly, he turned his gaze away, frowning at his desk as he tied up the top half of his hair into a small ponytail like usual. "Still, why?" Vaati repeated his earlier question.

"Uh, why else would I ask? It's not weird to invite friends to hang out together, y'know." Link rolled her eyes. "So, you coming or not?"

She heard him mutter to himself, "Who said we were friends?" But he covered it with a heavy sigh and said in a louder voice, "Fine, whatever."

"Good! Because I already told my mom you're coming. Now get packed - the train leaves in an hour, you know!"

"Din, you're kidding, right?!" Vaati shouted, looking like he was already regretting his decision. He would still stick to it, though; Link had noticed that Vaati always upheld any decision he made, even if it was one he instantly regretted. She wondered how often that trait of his got him into trouble.

Link winked at her roommate. "Yeah, I'm kidding," she said, but he barely had a moment to relax before she added, "it's leaving in an hour and a half." She laughed merrily at the murderous glare he gave her for that one.

* * *

 _10:58am_

 _On the train_

"Stop trying to take a nap on me!" Vaati violently shoved Link away from him, giving her yet another rude awakening, probably the eighth time since the train started moving.

This time, she actually tried to stay awake, fixing Vaati with a look of betrayal. "Geez, it's not a crime to take a nap, is it? The movement of the train just makes me sleepy..." She yawned but tried to cover it with her hand.

Vaati shook his head and once again moved in his seat, trying to put as much space as possible between them. "I really don't care if you fall asleep, but don't put your head on my shoulder."

"Okay, okay, Porcupine."

"What?" Poor Vaati was nearing his wits end, and he was obviously struggling to keep an inside voice.

"Porcupine, because you don't want anyone near you and you viciously stab anyone who gets close." Link chuckled and poked his shoulder, eliciting a deep scowl from her companion. "I'll stay awake, don't worry, so no more stabbing, please?"

"Whatever," Vaati muttered, keeping his gaze fixed on the window and the scenery that flashed by.

* * *

 _1:19pm_

 _The Kakariko Museum of Sheikah Heritage, Archives_

Impa nodded thoughtfully, her side braid swinging with the movement. Her red eyes watched Vaati, who was roaming by himself through the archives while Link and Impa talked. Shortly after arriving in Kakariko City, they'd all headed to the museum where Link was sure Vaati would be occupied with looking at everything while she and her Sheikah guardian went over everything without him hearing anything.

Impa said in a low voice for Link to hear, "Yes, I agree with your conclusion that they are targeting him. I will get a more detailed profile on his background for you. For now, continue what you've been doing. It looks like you have Vaati's trust." Link nodded. Truthfully, she hadn't been sure if Vaati would come with her to Kakariko City, considering how he always was saying how much Link's existence annoyed him. The fact that Vaati had come was proof that he trusted Link, even if only grudgingly.

"Concerning Ghirahim," her guardian continued, "I will consider sending another agent to cover his case specifically."

The two of them grew quiet when Vaati came walking over. He barely spared Link a glance, instead fixing his gaze intently on Impa. "How much do you know about the Guardian artifacts?" he asked her. Link noticed how he had a notebook out, pencil at the ready. This museum, with its extensive collection, was a researcher's idea of heaven, and Vaati was clearly trying to cram as much information in as possible during their time there.

"I am not an expert on the Guardians, but I can tell you what I know about the artifacts here," Impa replied to Vaati.

"Anything and everything," Vaati nodded.

Link walked a few paces behind her roommate and the Sheikah woman, just listening and looking while Impa explained where each artifact had been discovered, the ancient tales of the Guardians and the historical evidence to support some of those tales, going over stories that Link had heard a thousand times from her many visits to the museum. Every word seemed to be important to Vaati; he dutifully filled a few pages of his notebook with the information as he heard it, occasionally adding sketches and circling sections. Periodically he would ask a question about this or that detail. Impa, accustomed to this kind of thing, told him as much as she possibly could about the artifacts.

Eventually, after more wandering through the archives, Impa called out to the two students. "I have a meeting with the museum board in fifteen minutes. As long as you are with Link, you can stay in the archives. He can answer some of your questions, as well. You are free to go home whenever you want."

Link waved as the white-haired woman left. Then she turned to Vaati, to see him watching her, red eye fixed on her face. "What?"

But he shook his head and returned to browsing the shelves. "Are there any Kokiri relics?" he queried. "Or fairy relics?"

"Maybe a few, but they don't fall under Sheikah heritage, so they don't stay here long." She let his strange look slide and led him to a different section of the archives, though she couldn't deny that she had a good idea what he was thinking about...

 _"Vaati, this is my mom." Upon arrival at the Kakariko City station, Impa had immediately met them as they were stepping off of the train. Link cheerfully introduced her roommate and her guardian to each other. "Impa, this is Vaati, my roommate."_

 _Impa bowed her head ever so slightly, just her braid swinging to indicate the movement. "It's good to finally meet you. You may call me Impa."_

 _"Uh, likewise." Vaati was squinting in confusion at the two people in front of him: Link, with her blonde hair, blue eyes, light skin, and short height, and Impa, with her white hair, red eyes, tan skin, and tall stature. Link was smiling cheerfully while Impa looked severe in her business suit and Sheikah tattoo under her eye. "You didn't tell me you were adopted," he frowned, directing the accusing comment at Link._

 _She just chuckled and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, unfazed about how quickly he'd noticed and how bluntly he'd pointed it out. "Just one of many interesting things about me!"_

Link figured that Vaati was still processing the strange contrast between her and Impa, and perhaps shifting whatever image he'd had of Link's life and background. Or maybe something else entirely was going on inside his head; she could only guess. Maybe Vaati couldn't care less about whether or not Link was adopted, and had never given her background a single thought. For some reason, that idea bothered her more than it should have.

* * *

 _Saturday, 11:17am_

 _Cortera Woods_

Birds trilled and chirped in the treetops while a breeze rustled the leaves and the creek bubbled. Link stretched out her arms as though she were embracing the whole forest. "Ah, I've missed hiking here!" she exclaimed, taking in a deep breath. It was like the outdoors was feeding her raw energy, and she wanted to run down the trail as fast as she could. "This is probably my favorite place in the entire universe."

"It's definitely not mine," came a grumble from behind her. Link turned just her head to look over her shoulder at Vaati, who was looking incredibly uncomfortable and annoyed. His violet bangs were pinned away from his face for once, but strands of hair still stuck to his sweaty cheek. He was panting slightly.

Somehow Link had persuaded her roommate to peel himself away from studying everything at the museum all day long and join her on a hike through the Cortera Woods. Another bit of baiting with promises of 'areas historically known for magic', and a lot of pestering. It wasn't a total lie. Somewhere within the woods, there had once been a Fairy Fountain, though Link had never been able to find anything resembling one.

She waved a hand at Vaati, encouraging him to keep going. "There's a stream not too far ahead. We can take a break there," Link told him.

"Define 'not too far ahead'," Vaati scowled. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, then frowned at the moisture left on his arm and wiped that on his pants.

"Five minutes, if we continue at the pace we've been going." With that, Link started marching forward, swinging her arms as she went.

The moment they got to the stream, Vaati sat down on its bank in the shade from the trees, letting his backpack slide off his shoulders and to the ground with a thump. Link dropped down next to him. "You don't spend much time outdoors, do you?" she asked, elbowing him playfully.

"I don't need to go outside to pursue magic," was the blunt reply.

Link hummed, leaning forward to take off her shoes and socks. "Maybe." She dipped her toes in the cold stream water. A few quiet moments passed between the two. Then Link asked, "Hey, I don't think you ever answered about whether you've seen magic before."

"I have seen some."

She waited for him to say more, but when he didn't, she turned her face to give him a deep frown. "Come on, give me more detail than that! When, where, who - things like that, the full story!" Link leaned in close to Vaati. "Tell me, pleeeeease. I'll stay two inches away from your face until you do."

"For the love of Hylia -" Vaati tried to pull his head back, but Link followed his movement, keeping their faces exactly two inches apart. "I thought you said you'd quit doing this stuff! Din, why do you want to know so badly?"

"I told you already - I'm a spy sent to watch you, so I have to learn as much as possible about you."

"You're a less-than-worthless spy, then," he replied sarcastically, his scowl deepening. "Seriously, Link, quit prying and get out of my face!" Vaati grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her away, holding her at arm's length. His red eyes were narrowed, but Link thought she could see something other than annoyance in their depths. He seemed... uncertain.

Slowly, Link queried, "Was the magic you saw something bad?"

Vaati's glare faltered, and Link pressed on. "What, did it have something to do with you? You got hurt by magic? Or maybe, you used magic and hurt someone? Come on, Vaati, you gotta give me the story!" She felt his grip on her shoulders loosen and she took advantage of it, pushing herself forward so she was inches away from his face again.

" _I said, stop prying and get away!"_ Vaati snapped.

A sudden blast of wind knocked Link away from him, sending her flat on her back on the ground. The trees shook noisily as air whipped their branches wildly around. Link grunted, more in surprise than pain, and lifted her head to stare at Vaati. His hair looked like it was floating, the way the wind lifted it. His red eyes glowed slightly. Or was she imagining it?

Gradually, the wind died down to normal. Vaati's eyes went wide and he scrambled to his feet. "Goddesses... why...?" he murmured, staring at Link sprawled on the ground and then looking at his hands. She was surprised to hear how shaken his voice sounded.

Link pushed herself up and stood, brushing off her clothes. "Huh, so that's what happens if I push too many buttons," she said lightly.

Her words had the intended effect. The shock quickly left Vaati's expression, replaced with anger. "Do you ever take anything seriously?!" he shouted at Link. "Why are you joking about something like this?!"

"What, do you want me to be scared of you instead or something? What's the point of that?" Link replied. She wasn't smiling, and she locked her eyes with Vaati's. "I'm guessing this same kind of thing has happened before, and that's what you didn't want to tell me about, right? Wind magic, just like the Vaati from the legends... so what? I already heard you say you don't want to be like that guy. This was just an accident. And it answers a lot of my questions, so you should be happy! Less pestering from me." A small smile eased her serious expression. "I have to say, though... You did look pretty badass, with your hair all floating and your eyes glowing."

All Vaati did was stare at her, dumbstruck, the anger fading from his eyes. He looked lost and confused now. "I don't understand you," he finally said.

"You probably never will," Link replied honestly with a full smile now. She patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's head back. Oh. I won't tell anyone, you know, about what just happened." _Or, I would, except I have to report this to Impa._

Vaati still gave her that lost look, but he nodded slightly. "Thank you..."

The sincerity in those two simple words almost made Link feel guilty for lying to him. She shoved the feeling down and started back down the trail.

* * *

A/N: That ended up longer than I planned. And actually, I had another bit planned for this chapter that would really have that good VaaLink relationship development, but we'll have to wait til the next chapter for that bit. I had fun with this chapter; I hope you enjoyed, too! See you next chapter!


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Laati! I think I like that more than Vaalink. Probably because it makes me think of coffee... Uh, anyways! Yes, the Laati development was just _barely_ there in that last chapter. I usually write these author notes before I even begin writing the chapter, and then edit them a little afterwards, so what I plan and what actually comes out in the story are often different. I should probably not do that, haha...

For this chapter, the Laati development I planned to have earlier definitely comes out! Actually, it's kind of the whole chapter...

* * *

Chapter 8

 _Report: 9-3 19:29_

 _Member: Link_

 _Vaati Enlil..._

Link typed in just the name, then paused, considering her words carefully. She had a bad tendency to write her reports more like journal entries than professional reports, and her personal opinions and emotions leaked in if she wasn't careful. The report was just for recording purposes; she'd already told Impa the whole story earlier. Link twiddled her thumbs over her phone screen.

 _Vaati Enlil displayed the ability to magically manipulate the wind. It appears he has no control over this ability; he briefly sent a blast of wind around himself after becoming agitated. I inquired into his past concerning whether he'd ever seen magic, and when I guessed if he'd once hurt someone with magic, he grew upset._

She read over the paragraph while forming her next thoughts. Her intuition suggested many things to her, but guesses based on a gut feeling didn't belong in an official report.

 _Some facts: Vaati Enlil possesses wind magic. The Great Wind Sorcerer of myth, also named Vaati, possessed the same magic. The Yiga spy Tiv seemed interested in the connection between these two figures, while Zelda Nohansen seemed wary of Vaati using magic. It would normally be a stretch to say there's a connection between Enlil and a mythical character, but the way Tiv and Zelda have reacted makes me think it's not impossible. Or rather, they think it's not impossible._

What if that connection was real, Link wondered. If it was, it would mean that things she considered mythical, no more than stories, were actually real. It would mean that Vaati had something to do with a monster that had threatened to destroy Hyrule on more than one occasion, and once had actually carried out that threat. It would mean that the Yiga wanted their hands on that power, and that the Sheikah would have to prevent Vaati from unlocking his magic ability, and that Link would be forced to treat Vaati as a potential threat, rather than as a friend.

She sighed heavily and rolled over on her bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. Friends, huh? It was only a fake friendship, and one-sided at that. Link had always known that even the closest of allies could be potential enemies; she knew better than to get attached. And yet, she found herself just wanting to believe in Vaati.

 _I will closely moderate his research from now on and discover his purpose for wanting to unlock magic. If at all possible, I will steer him towards using this magic for good, should he ever succeed. The Yiga are probably planning to use him for their own goals, but if we can turn Vaati into an ally, we can disrupt their plans. End report._

Link rubbed her eyes. It was much too early to go to bed, but there wasn't anything else she wanted or needed to do the rest of the evening. Impa was in her office upstairs, and Vaati was likely studying in the guest room. The house was quiet; only the distant noise of evening traffic hummed in the air.

Feeling restless, Link swung out of bed and pulled her shoes on. She tied a jacket around her waist and grabbed her phone, then quietly slipped out of her room and out of the house through the back door. Jogging slightly, Link used her phone's flashlight to illuminate her path out of the yard. The Cortera Woods were only a few blocks away from her house out at the edge of the city; she almost didn't need the flashlight to know the way there.

Upon entering the woods, some of the tension eased from her shoulders, and she let out a breath. Somehow it was always calming to be among the trees, and Link often came here when she felt anxious or restless. She took her time wandering down the path. The leaves swayed gently while she walked, almost like the forest was greeting her.

 _"Once, a fairy lived in these woods." Impa had shared the story of Cortera Woods with Link countless times, so much so that Link couldn't recall the story without hearing it in Impa's voice. "Her name was Cortera, and she would bless people with some of her power if they offered her an appropriate gift. Smaller fairies liked to gather around her fountain at night, little pink balls of light with wings that made the fountain glitter. They say she once helped a hero from one of the legends. But over time she was forgotten, and the fountain dried up, and she lost her power as a fairy. Some say that somewhere in the woods, you can find the remains of her fairy fountain and perhaps even find a small fairy. I have never seen either of these; however, that does not mean you should not look for yourself, Link. Perhaps you will be the one to find Cortera's fountain."_

There was a sound of crunching leaves on the path behind her. Link whirled around, raising her phone so the light would shine on the person following her. She blinked in surprise, even as the other person blinked as he tried to move to get the light out of his eyes.

"Vaati? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to ask _you_ that," her roommate replied, still squinting in the light. "Why are you going off into the forest at night? And would you please stop shining that light right at me!"

Link hastily lowered her hand. "Oops, sorry. I'm just going for a walk. The forest always helps me sort out my thoughts when I'm worried." She gestured at the area around them.

Vaati didn't immediately reply, instead looked at her for a long moment. Then he turned his gaze away and said gruffly, "Sorry."

"Woah! Vaati just said sorry!" Link gasped. Her roommate scowled at her for that. "But what are you randomly saying sorry for all of a sudden...?"

"Don't make me explain it," Vaati groaned, rubbing one hand on his forehead in exasperation.

The way he was acting almost embarrassed made Link chuckle. "Heh, are you worried that I'm worried about what happened earlier? I mean, I guess I'd be lying if I said I'm not thinking about it, but like I told you before, I'm not scared of you. So you don't have to apologize. I was the one that pushed you, anyways." Vaati's frown didn't ease, however, so she tried changing the subject. "I'm looking for the fairy fountain. Want to go with me?"

"...Fine." Link was surprised at how easily he agreed to her proposal, but she decided not to think about it too much and just be grateful for the moment.

They walked without any haste, Link slightly ahead of Vaati, occasionally talking a little about the forest and the story of the fairy fountain. For the most part, however, they were silent. Link wondered what it was that Vaati was thinking about as they strolled down the path.

"Hey," Vaati suddenly called out. He stopped walking, and Link stopped as well, turning to look at him. "Over there - do you see it?" Vaati asked, pointing at a distant spot. "A little pink light."

Link fixed her eyes on the spot. At first, she saw nothing but the dark figures of trees and the dark shadows they cast on each other and the ground. Then, there was a tiny glimmer of pink light. Link's heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be...

Another glimmer, as though the light were floating through the trees, and Link knew. She took off running, to Vaati's surprise, racing towards that pink light, heartbeat rising with her excitement. It was a fairy - it had to be. And if there was a fairy, it meant that the fairy fountain was nearby. She heard Vaati cry out behind her but she didn't slow down. All she could think was, _don't disappear, don't disappear!_

She came crashing out of the trees into a small clearing. The little pink fairy was floating in the middle, almost like it was waiting for her. Link stood there, panting with excitement, just watching it with wonder.

"Link!" Vaati ran up behind her. He was about to say something more, but Link clamped her hand over his mouth and put a finger to her lips. He stayed silent and followed her lead as she sat down on the grass to watch the fairy.

The clearing was mostly empty, just a small area of long grass surrounded by the forest. In the very center of it, however, was what looked like a pond, no bigger than a large puddle, really, visible by the glimmers of pink on its surface from the fairy's light above it. "Cortera's fountain," Link whispered. Vaati gave her a slightly dubious look, but she was sure of it. The great fairy had long left the fountain, but enough of her power still lingered to attract the little fairy to the remains of her home.

For how long they both sat there, silently watching the lone fairy and the forgotten fountain together, Link didn't know. Gradually, she felt herself growing drowsy. "Hey, Vaati," she said very softly.

"What?" His voice, too, was quiet.

"I came out here because I was worrying about you," she admitted. "I was worrying about what people might think about you, about how they treat you. You know, Zelda doesn't want you to bring back magic. She thinks it's too dangerous. Then there was Tiv thinking you wanted to be like the Vaati from myth. And then there's you - you worry that your magic will hurt people, don't you?" Link turned her head to give Vaati a confident smile. "But then I thought of something: even if everyone expects you to fail, I'm going to believe in you and help you prove them wrong. I mean, it's stupid to think you're a bad person just because your name is Vaati. My name is Link, but that doesn't make me a hero." She laughed a little dryly. "It doesn't even make me a good person. I've met some pretty bad Links before."

"You're a better person than me, at least," Vaati muttered.

Link kept her smile on her face, though inside she felt a little sad. She always tried to do the right thing, but could a spy, whose life was built around deception, ever be called a good person? She'd never killed anyone in her line of work, but she had certainly harmed people, both physically and emotionally. Though the things she had just told Vaati were her true feelings, it didn't negate the fact that she continued to live a lie everyday with him.

"Well, you're not a bad person. I say so." Link's eyes were growing heavy.

Vaati sighed and shook his head. "I'm the one always snapping at you, calling you lazy and..." He heaved yet another sigh. "Why do you care what others think about me?"

"I told you a million times," she yawned in reply. "We're friends. And before you try to deny it, why else would you follow me into the forest and hang out with me like this?" She smiled slightly when Vaati gave no retort. "Gotcha..." Her eyelids drooped closed and she let her head loll onto her companion's shoulder.

"Get off..." Vaati protested, but his voice lacked its usual sharpness and he didn't try to push her away.

Link was barely awake anymore, just enough to reply with, "Nope, you're stuck with me..." Then she fell asleep, the nighttime sounds of the forest and Vaati's warmth following her into her dreams.

* * *

A/N: Guys, someone stop me. The Best Lies is sucking me away from my other writing projects; I'm just having so much fun writing it, I can't stop...! Seriously, I can't believe how quickly I finished this chapter. Thanks as always for reading, and see you next chapter!


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: Over a thousand views! I'm thinking of combining the Prologue and Chapter 1 into one chapter, because I'm pretty sure the pathetic prologue is turning people away, which means shifting everything... maybe I'll do that after the story is complete, sounds like too much work right now (yeah, call me lazy!).

To my unnamed guest reviewer: I've been calling you Okyaku-san in my head (that's Japanese for guest). I hope you don't mind if I refer to you that way; it's just easier than saying 'unnamed guest reviewer who usually reviews my story' (okay, call me lazy again!). And that's all assuming that it's been the same person, haha. So, anyways, to Okyaku-san: I was just as excited to get that chapter out so quickly! Thanks for letting me use 'Laati', and thanks for your reviews!

Welcome to Redhead100, flamedancers, Klafuti, and LadySmugleaf (I like that username)!

Sorry this chapter took so long. I really struggled with exactly how the events should play out. I scrapped the whole thing and started over like 3 times. For this chapter, we get to experience the story from Vaati's perspective!

* * *

Chapter 9

 _Week eight, Wednesday 9:15am  
_ _Link and Vaati's room_

The sound of heavy breathing bordering on snoring was gradually draining away Vaati's ability to focus. He glared at Link, who was still sleeping the morning away. Midterms had all finished the day before, and the Academy students got to enjoy the rest of the week off. Some had gone home, some had stayed, some were out playing around, and some, like his lazy roommate, were enjoying a bit of extra sleep. Meanwhile, Vaati was using the time to get ahead with his schoolwork. He'd considered going out to the common room to study, only he had a feeling a lot of the dorm guys would be messing around there. The library was another option, but Vaati didn't feel like going all the way there. So, he endured Link's obnoxious breathing for now.

It was queer to think that they were officially halfway through the sixteen-week semester. In that time, Vaati had experienced several unexpected things: getting a roommate that liked to flirt with and tease him, having a classmate that seemed to always show up when Link wasn't around, visiting Kakariko City, finding a fairy and a fairy fountain, and finally consenting to be friends with Link. Vaati had grudgingly accepted that he didn't _completely_ despise having the blonde around.

There was a ping from his phone. Vaati set his pencil down and checked the screen.

 _Tiv: R u awake?_

He stifled a groan. Unlike with Link, Vaati _did_ completely despise having Tiv around. Thinking about it, the two of them were pretty similar: always hanging around Vaati, being both noisy and nosy. The difference was that, with Tiv, Vaati couldn't shake the feeling that she was only paying him attention because she had ulterior motives; whereas with Link, the guy seemed to stick with Vaati just out of some strange but innocent attraction to the violet-haired student.

Vaati internally cringed at the bad choice of words. Link had been quick to correct him about _that_ idea before. He didn't really know how else to put it, though; Link just seemed to like being around Vaati. It was weird.

 _-ping-_

 _Tiv: Ur awake right?_

Not in the mood to answer, he turned his phone over so he couldn't see the screen. He really wished he hadn't given her his number; he only did it so they could keep in touch about class-related topics. There was a moment of quiet, then another ping, followed shortly by yet another. Scowling, Vaati flipped his phone over and messaged the persistent girl back.

 _Vaati: What do you want_

Her reply was immediate. _I knew u were awake. I have something to give u._

 _Vaati: I don't want it._ He used to try to sound polite to her, but that wore off a long time ago.

 _Tiv: it's a magic relic :)_

That made him hesitate. Likely she was lying and had nothing of the sort; actually, she probably didn't have anything at all to give him. But then again, if it later turned out she really did have a magic relic, Vaati would kill himself if he refused to go see it. He debated a moment more, then typed, _What exactly?_

 _Tiv: I think its shadow era._ She was using one of the terms from their mythology class; in the back of the textbook was an incredibly complex timeline detailing the relative times that each story occurred, separated into different 'eras'. Some of them could be matched up to actual historical dates, but it was a highly inaccurate method of dating to use. The Shadow Era referred to the time when both Ganondorf and Vaati were resurrected at the same time, and the last recorded story about the Wind Sorcerer was from that era.

This was exactly one of those times that Vaati was sure Tiv had ulterior motives. She was always interested in the evil sorcerer Vaati, and here she was trying to tempt him with a relic that was likely related in some way to that sorcerer. It was like she really thought Vaati from myth and Vaati himself were related. It was ridiculous but also a bit unnerving at times.

Despite these thoughts, he couldn't deny his growing curiosity about whatever relic she had. And if she didn't have anything, he'd just count it as a waste of time and leave. _Fine, where do you want to meet._

 _Tiv: :) library!_

Vaati confirmed the time and place with her, and stood up with a sigh. He grabbed a jacket - the days were starting to get chillier - and called to the dozing Link, "I'm going to the library for a bit."

To his surprise, his roommate groggily opened his eyes and looked at Vaati. "Wha...?" Link yawned. He was clearly still mostly asleep, as he kept blinking slowly as though he couldn't really see.

"I said I'm going to the library. Tiv bribed me into meeting her there. And no, you can't come. Just go back to sleep." Vaati shook his head; he should've just left without saying anything.

Link frowned slightly, which caught Vaati's attention. He rarely frowned, or had any serious expression, really, so it always stood out when he did. But it faded just as quickly as it had come, and Link let his head flop back onto his pillow. "Mm'kay," Link mumbled. "Have fun..."

* * *

Tiv wasted no time in giddily showing Vaati the magic relic she'd promised to give him. They were in the library, but her voice wasn't especially quiet as she cheerfully exclaimed, "Vaati, look, look!" The girl held out what appeared to be some sort of amulet. "It's definitely Shadow Era, right? I mean, it has representations of both Ganon and Vaati, and that's the only time they were around at the same time!"

"Quiet down!" Vaati hissed. He looked down at the amulet in Tiv's hands. It was a rather large one, a flat disk about the size of his palm, made of what looked like bronze, judging by the green tarnish. The decorations on the amulet depicted a mandala artfully formed from boars and bats. "Where did you get it?"

Tiv smiled in a rather smug way. "I have a friend that runs a pawn shop. He's always getting neat things like this. It's in downtown Castletown, like, just twenty minutes from the Academy. Oh, oh! We should go! We've got the day off!"

But Vaati shook his head. "I don't have time to go today."

"Aww," the brown-haired girl pouted. "You sure? I'll let you in on a secret -" she actually lowered her voice and leaned toward him conspiratorially "- my friend doesn't just get magic relics like this; he knows how to use a lot of them. I'm betting he could show you how to use magic, easy-peasy." Tiv smirked and placed the amulet in his hand.

Vaati's breath caught in his throat. The metal surface quickly warmed in his hand, and he felt the same sensation running over his skin as when he accidentally used magic. So it really was a magic relic. And Tiv said that it came from someone that could use magic...?

"What's the catch?" he asked slowly, slipping the amulet into his pocket and locking his red eye on Tiv's brown ones. "You aren't the generous type."

"We-ell... that's true!" Tiv giggled, unashamed, and then tapped her chin as though thinking about his question. "How about, you have to keep it a secret. Even from your roommate - _especially_ from your roommate."

It wasn't exactly what he had been expecting - he thought she might ask him to help with all her assignments - and he didn't reply right away. "Why would I have to do that?" Vaati finally replied, crossing his arms.

The girl just smiled. "Lots of reasons! Mostly it's 'cause we don't like each other, and if he hears I'm trying to help you, he might try to get in the way." Seeing Vaati still frowning in perplexity, she elaborated, "Oh, I won't spell it out for you! Let's just say you have to choose either me or Link. If you choose me, I can guarantee you'll find your magic, but Link can't be included in any of it. And if you choose Link, you won't get any of my help anymore. So that's the deal!"

It shouldn't have confused him so much, and yet Vaati found that he didn't have a clue how he should answer her. She seemed confident that her help would get him to his goal, and that excited him - to have a concrete solution within reach nearly made him shiver with excitement. But for some reason, the other part of the deal - distancing himself from Link - bothered him.

"Give me time to think about it."

Tiv nodded, still smiling confidently. "You have my number, so just give me a call when you decide! Bye, then!" She patted him on the shoulder as she walked past him.

Vaati had originally planned to return to the dorm after meeting Tiv, but he was too perplexed to face Link at the moment. He'd likely end up staring intently at the blonde in an attempt to sort out his thoughts, which naturally would make Link question why he was glaring at him. So instead he stayed in the library, browsing the shelves but not really looking for anything in particular.

Gradually, his perplexity turned into annoyance with himself. It was an obvious answer, wasn't it? His one goal in life was to bring back magic and master the power within himself. For that, he didn't need friends. He certainly didn't need someone like Link, who was too happy-go-lucky, too friendly, too trusting, too honest... Vaati physically shook his head. Why was he thinking so... _fondly_ of the blonde? He meant that Link was too easygoing and lazy and hadn't a clue what he was talking about. So why, then, did the idea of ending their friendship bother him? Being friends was a hindrance more than anything, wasn't it?

He turned around the corner of a bookshelf and suddenly came face-to-face with Zelda Nohansen. They both stared at each other for a moment in surprise; then Zelda dipped her head apologetically. "Ah, sorry." She moved to skirt past Vaati.

 _"You know, Zelda doesn't want you to bring back magic."_

Link's words from their time at the fairy fountain came back to him. Vaati turned quickly and called to Zelda, "Wait."

She stopped, turning to look back a little nervously. Vaati hesitated; he wasn't really familiar with her and he didn't usually talk to people he didn't know. But in the end, he was the kind of person who, when he wanted to know something, didn't care what others thought.

"Why don't you want me to bring back magic?"

Zelda's face visibly paled when he asked this question. "Wh-who told you that?" she stammered, gripping the strap of her messenger bag.

"Link did. He said you think it's dangerous. Is that the only reason why?" Vaati took a step towards her; he wasn't going to let her go without getting an answer.

Her blue eyes darted around, clearing looking for an escape route, and she didn't answer right away. "It... it depends on why you want to use magic. Magic for the sake of magic is very, very dangerous."

"What does that mean?"

"You have to have a good reason for using magic. A purpose... V-Vaati from the myths, he... he sought power just for the sake of having power, and it turned him into a monster."

Vaati's eyes narrowed and he took another quick step forward, voice cold when he replied, "I'm not like that Vaati."

Zelda's volume when she spoke was rapidly decreasing. "Then prove... prove that you're not. It doesn't have to be a noble cause. It could be to make life easier, or for protection, or for entertainment... it could be for yourself, for someone important to you, or for everyone in general. There just... just has to be a reason!" She finally looked up and met his eyes, and her voice grew a little stronger. "Link... he believes in you. He's always telling me that you aren't anything like Vaati from myth. Please, don't let that faith of his be for nothing."

Then she suddenly ran away, disappearing from Vaati's sight among the bookshelves. For the second time that day he was left standing alone in utter confusion. What was all this about having a purpose for finding magic? Wasn't it enough to study it for its own sake? Wasn't it natural to want to learn more about this strange ability he possessed? Vaati hated how certain Zelda had sounded when she said it was dangerous and how it could turn a person into a monster. It was clear she had a real fear of magic. Why, then, had she brought up the fact that Link didn't worry about Vaati abusing his magic? Zelda didn't believe in Vaati, but perhaps she trusted Link...

Vaati groaned out loud and rubbed at his eyes. He wasn't used to dealing with all the complicated situations that came with interacting with multiple people. Usually he liked to avoid drama at all costs. This time it seemed he was caught up in the very center of it.

He took the amulet out of his pocket, turning it over in his hand and rubbing his thumb over its surface. For now, he would keep his conversation with Tiv a secret, but he wouldn't take her offer just yet. If he couldn't make enough progress towards unlocking his magic soon, however, Vaati would reconsider it. He might even think about what Zelda had told him. And as for Link... Vaati would evaluate his relationship with him, and, if it proved to be more of a hindrance than a help... he would end it.


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: These chapters keep getting longer - is that a good thing or a bad thing? Let me know what you think!

We're back to Link's perspective in this chapter. The story is heating up!!! I'm seriously too addicted to writing this...

Okyaku-san: oh, I definitely knew that review with the swearing wasn't you! I'm glad you find the story believable; I work really hard to make it that way. I have so many ideas of things I want to happen, but I always ask myself, "Would it make sense?" That's part of the reason why the last chapter got scrapped and redone so many times. You bring up a good point about the battle for Vaati - and I'll actually have to thank you for reminding me about a key detail (yeah, I'm the author, but even I forget details about my stories!). Link wasn't there, buuut... read on to see!

* * *

Chapter 10

 _Week eight, Thursday 11:00pm_

 _Hyrule Royal Academy, Komali Park_

Link watched the branches of the great big maple tree above her sway in the breeze, her eyes following an orange-tinted leaf that broke off and began to flutter slowly to the ground. She could hear happy chattering from the Rito students who were relaxing in the tree top. She herself was alone, lazing on the grass. For once, she didn't feel like falling asleep, even though the ground was surprisingly warm and the smell of grass and leaves calming.

Already October, she mused. Over eight weeks at the Academy. School life was very routine, and it was easy for Link to settle into her role as a student. Classes Monday through Thursday, lunch with Zelda after Mythology, exercising at the gym every morning, bugging Vaati in the evenings and weekends, squeezing in some studying here and there... At times, she forgot the reason that she was here. But she would quickly be returned to the reality of the situation: Link was a spy here. As much as she enjoyed Vaati and Zelda's company, she was not their real friend. At some point she would vanish from the Academy, and they'd probably never see her again. That was partly one reason why she didn't study much - her grades didn't really matter, since her record would eventually be deleted.

That was just one of the problems of longer missions: it was easy for the agent to gradually adjust to the situation as being their normal life, and lose the distinction between their cover and their real character.

There was a sudden sound of music from her pocket. Link dug her phone out and checked the screen, pausing a moment in surprise. It was a call from Impa.

"Hey, Impa, what's up?" she answered casually.

"Are you in a secure location?" came the clipped reply.

Link cast her gaze about. The park wasn't particularly busy, but it was a public place, and she knew from experience how well people could hide in trees. "Not particularly," she said calmly.

"Alright. You won't need to discuss in detail. It's about the report you sent last night."

She had been anticipating that. Link closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah."

Impa continued in her business-like tone. "According to your report, you'd previously bugged Vaati Enlil in order to listen to his interactions with the Yiga named Tiv, but until yesterday, this had yielded no important information that could be used to identify Tiv's purpose in targeting Enlil."

"Yup." Link's replies were casual; anyone listening to her side of the conversation wouldn't suspect she was discussing something top secret.

"Yesterday, however, Tiv invited Enlil to a private meeting, during which she made him an offer to guarantee him success with his magic, at the cost of any relationship with you. He declined to accept her offer right away. You heard this conversation through the listening device placed on Enlil."

Link recalled the surprising morning she'd had yesterday - Vaati had gone to the library to meet Tiv, fortunately waking her up before he left. She'd crawled out of bed and grabbed the box she kept under her bed, which held her spying tools, and pulled out the receiver for the listening device. Not expecting anything interesting, Link had settled back onto her bed when Tiv suddenly made her offer to Vaati. It was an understatement to say that Link was shocked.

"Good so far," she told Impa.

"I noticed that your report seemed rather incomplete, compared to what you usually send in. Is there something else going on? You did not include an analysis of the situation and your next plans." Impa paused. "First, does it seem that Tiv knows your identity?"

"I never got anything from her before, so I thought she was either being careful, or she had an idea. Now, though..." Link thought back to the arrow that had missed her face by centimeters, and now the offer Tiv had made to Vaati. It was highly likely that she knew Link was listening in somehow. "I would say we know who each other are, but we're tolerating each other."

Impa hummed; there was a shuffling sound, like papers being moved. "In that case, you both have to tread carefully."

"Well, _I_ do, but she doesn't seem to think so."

"Hm. We could draw several conclusions, then. Tiv is not worried about being exposed, meaning that her role is not integral to the Yigas' plan, and therefore Vaati is an important piece, but not their ultimate goal. As for you, it's likely that they want you to slip up. They already suspect you and have probably connected you to the disappearances of the other Yiga at the Academy. Tiv's move with Vaati is in all likelihood an attempt to make you give yourself away."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too."

"Why didn't you include that in your report?"

Link took her time in answering. When she did, she sighed before speaking. "I'm actually not sure what to do."

"That's rather unlike you," Impa replied. "I will be honest, Link, I had expected you to request Tiv's removal long before now, but I trust your judgment, so I had not said anything. If you cannot devise a plan for this situation, then I would advise having her removed."

"Well, she may not be the main focus, but I still think she'll lead me to the bigger picture. That's why I haven't called it in yet. I'm here long-term anyways. I don't want to rush." Link sat up and repositioned herself so that her back was against the tree trunk.

"I understand. Then the fact remains that you must decide what to do about Enlil. Will you let him work with Tiv, or will you prevent him from doing so? All while remaining undercover, of course."

"Yeeeep. I don't know, but I'll keep you updated, okay?"

There was a short sigh. "Please do. Stay vigilant." The call clicked and went silent.

Link wasn't given any chance to relax. She had just set her phone in her lap when it buzzed with a message.

 _Porcupine: Why is there a stuffed animal on my bed_

It took her a moment, and then she burst into giggles. She'd nearly forgotten the stuffed bat she'd bought and put on Vaati's bed while he was out studying at the library. Smiling, Link typed back, _It's a present, duh! You're always threatening to put bats in my bed, so I put one in yours!_

 _Porcupine: I don't want a stuffed animal_

 _Link: ooo-kay, what_ do _you want, then?_

It took him a while to reply to that question. Finally, he messaged, _Wait. Why do you want to get me something?_

 _Link: uh, I dunno, cause maybe it's your birthday this month or something?_

 _Porcupine: ... where did you find that information_

 _Link: I used my super spy skills_

 _Porcupine: ..._

 _Link: so what'll it be? a book? candy? classy dinner by candlelight?_

He ignored her suggestions. _Actually, I do have something you could do for me. Meet me at the Academy entrance_

Link paused, curiosity aroused. Something she could _do_ , not give? And he'd avoided saying exactly what it was. She wondered if it had anything to do with Tiv's deal - was he going to somehow test Link and see which person he would choose? There wasn't much to go on, so she could only make vague guesses. All she could do was go and meet Vaati. _Kay!_ she replied, then hopped to her feet and took off at a jog towards the entrance.

* * *

She got there about fifteen minutes before Vaati. He walked up to see her impatiently tapping one foot on the ground and stretching. "You got here fast," he remarked.

"I was at the park," Link pointed at the maple tree which could be seen standing tall behind the administration building. "So, what're we doing?"

"Shopping," was the brief reply. Vaati walked past Link, clearly not in the mood to explain all the details. "Just follow me."

That definitely wasn't what she was expecting. He probably didn't mean the grocery-type or clothes-type shopping; perhaps they were going to a bookstore. Link followed Vaati's footsteps, swinging her arms as she imagined what kind of shopping trip it might be.

He led her out of the Academy and past the campus boundaries into downtown Castletown. The capital city was lively with lunchtime traffic, both on the streets and on the sidewalks. Link kept close to Vaati, though even if she fell behind, it wasn't like it would be hard to spot the violet-headed man. She saw him check his phone every so often as they walked.

"Where are we going?" she asked while they waited for a crosswalk to change signals.

Vaati watched the signal until it changed, and only replied once they were walking again. "A pawn shop."

Link instantly made the connection - he was looking for the pawn shop that Tiv had told him about. It felt like a risky move to make, going without Tiv, and bringing Link along to boot. If Tiv was friends with the shop owner, then it was likely that the owner was a Yiga. He'd probably be on the lookout for Vaati and Link. She couldn't imagine being welcomed with open arms in that scenario.

But of course, Vaati knew none of that. The only clue he had about the underlying tension between Link and the Yiga was Tiv's declaration that she and Link didn't like each other. He didn't know the potential danger it put Link in. If anything, Vaati was putting himself at risk; Tiv could cut him off from her help if she found out about this. Link couldn't help but wonder about that. Vaati didn't seem like the type to take risks. In any case, she didn't think there was a way she could dissuade him from going without making him suspicious.

"That's a weird place to go." Link masked the serious thoughts running through her mind with some gentle teasing. "You sure you don't want a classy dinner instead?"

"Only if you're not there for it," Vaati returned, looking over at Link with a frown. "I heard from someone that pawn shops can be a good place to find magic relics. If I find any, you're going to buy them for me."

"So demanding! But you're the birthday boy, so I can't say no! Are we almost there?"

The violet-haired Hylian checked his phone again and glanced around at the street signs. Then he nodded. "It should be around the corner." Vaati resumed his quick pace forward, and Link trailed a few steps behind him.

He stopped in front of an older-looking brick building after just a few hundred feet, craning his head to look at the sign. _KARUSA PAWN_ was written above the display window in bold red lettering. _We buy and sell what other pawn shops won't!_ Vaati nodded, slipping his phone into his pocket, and grabbed the door handle. "Come on," he said to Link, not waiting to leave the door open for his companion.

The interior was outdated just like the brick exterior; the floors, walls, and even ceiling were of dark wood planks, almost like the building had been built back when Castletown was called Hyrule Castle Town, and it had never been updated since. It made the shop dark despite the lighting and somewhat claustrophobic. The maze of shelves stuffed with a wide variety of knick knacks didn't help the stuffy feeling. Link thought it looked more like one of those secondhand goods stores than a pawn shop.

"Looks like they really do buy and sell anything," she commented, picking up a tea cup from one of the shelves.

Vaati went directly to the back, ignoring Link and not even glancing at the store's goods. No one was at the register, so he impatiently rang the little bell on the counter. His companion took her time joining him; she noticed with some chagrin a bundle of bananas sitting on the chair behind the counter, just barely out of sight.

A rather thin man came hurrying to the register, shoving something in his pocket and clearing his throat. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked with obviously business-like cheerfulness (aka he didn't want to bother with customers but he had to act nice).

"Do you carry any magic relics?" Vaati, straight to the point, asked.

In reply, the man hummed and nodded. "Yeah, we've got some. Some of 'em I'm not sure are real, though. Magic relics are a tricky business, you know?" The man's eyes drifted to Link briefly. Then he grabbed the bundle of bananas and pulled one off with a snap. It felt like a distinctly threatening snap, especially with the way he kept his gaze locked with Link's when he did it.

"I want to see whatever relics you have," said Vaati.

Humming, the man peeled open his banana slowly. He kept barely glancing at Link as he did so. "Yeah, let me just remember where I put them..." The sentence trailed off, and he took a huge bite out of his banana, casting Link yet another narrow-eyed look.

She took the hint - the guy didn't want her hanging around. "I'm going to browse," she told Vaati, then made her way back to the messy shelves.

Of course she had expected to be treated that way, but she was a little bit surprised that the man was willing to show Vaati anything. He probably wasn't going to share any magic tricks - not unless Vaati took Tiv's offer - only letting Vaati look at some of the magic relics. Link strained to listen to what Vaati and the pawn shop employee were saying, but she couldn't clearly make out their voices. Maybe she would ask Vaati later how it went; hopefully he'd be feeling generous enough to share a few details.

After a good quarter hour of picking up random objects from the shelves and staring at them, Link returned to the counter to check on Vaati. He wasn't there, however, and neither was that shop employee. She cast her gaze about, wondering where they had disappeared to, and saw a door to her left, probably leading to storage. Perhaps they'd gone that way.

Just as she was about to head to the door, a cheerful voice called out from behind the counter. "Can I help you, sir?"

Link turned her head and blinked a few times. It was the man that was supposed to be helping Vaati - but no, she realized, this man was a little different; his eyes were wider and his nose was crooked in the middle. Siblings, she would guess.

"Uhhh, I'm looking for the guy I came in with," she explained. "He's got purple hair."

The man smiled and shook his head. "I'm afraid I haven't seen him." He walked out around the counter to stand in front of Link, pointing at a nearby shelf. "But I do have a useful knick knack that could help you find him."

"Really? Cool!" she replied, but her guard was going up, suspicious about what this man wanted with her.

He led her halfway down to the middle of the shelf and pulled out what looked like an old handheld mirror. The surface of it was terribly tarnished, though, and you could only see vague blurs of colors reflecting back. This he held out to Link, turning it around a few times to show her how both sides had inset mirrors. "Hold it with both hands," he instructed. "Now, think about that friend of yours and imagine his face appearing in the mirror."

Link squinted like she was concentrating on following his instructions. "Is this a magic relic?" she queried.

"Yes, it can reveal the things you want to see."

"Oh, cool! But my side doesn't seem to be working."

"No? That's too bad." He didn't sound disappointed at all, still cheerful. "I can see images on my side. Hmm, crimson..."

Link craned her head to try to look at his side of the mirror, but the man grabbed her hands and held her still. "What's crimson?" she asked, tugging her hands away.

"The crimson is your blood, of course."

At the same moment the words left his mouth, Link saw something move in the blurry reflection of her mirror, and she turned her head, only to be met with something swinging towards her face. Her vision blacked out as pain exploded over her right temple and forehead. She lost all sense of orientation; she only knew she was falling after she crashed into the shelf.

For one dazed moment while the blow still left her blind, Link could only think to herself, _I wasn't careful enough!_ Focused on the man in front of her, she'd left her back unprotected. She blinked forcefully to clear the stars from her vision.

The man leaned down and picked Link up by the front of her shirt, dragging her to her feet. She heard and felt glass break under her shoes. "Didn't we warn you, kid?" the man said in a low voice. "Stay out of this."

"You -? You guys shot that arrow at me, didn't you?!" Link shouted angrily, though she wisely didn't struggle in his grip. Even though she already knew the Yiga were responsible for that earlier threat, she had to maintain her cover. She saw the person who had hit her standing behind him, another unfamiliar man holding the broken top of a glass bottle. "If you're talking about Vaati's magic, I'm trying to help him too, you dummies! I'm here to buy him magic relics!" Her forehead was starting to feel very warm and her skin tickled a little as blood trickled down the side of her face. Despite the pain, Link glared at the men, showing no hint of fear in her eyes. If more blows came, she was going to fight back.

Her attacker narrowed his eyes, apparently not convinced by her argument. "We don't like to leave things to chance."

The other man took a step forward, and Link tensed, preparing for another blow.

" _Nayru's love_ \- what is going on?!"

All three turned at the exclamation. Vaati was standing at the end of the section, eyes wide as he took in Link's bleeding forehead and the man gripping her shirt. He quickly strode forward, causing the two men to back off from Link.

"Don't try haggling too much, I guess?" Link weakly offered in explanation.

The Yiga didn't dispute her story; they knew it was best to keep the truth hidden from Vaati, even if it meant agreeing with the enemy's cover story. "There was a... misunderstanding," the man that had hit Link said. "It's resolved now." With that, both men turned and exited, their footsteps accented by crunching glass on the ground.

"Wait a minute, you can't just -!" Vaati shouted, darting toward to chase after them. But Link grabbed his arm and shook her head. "What? You're just letting them go?!"

"I kinda need to go to the hospital first." She pointed to the blood still trailing down her face.

Vaati's face went through several expressions - wide eyed in surprise, frowning in what looked like concern, and then finally his eyebrows knitted and he scowled at Link. "What in Hylia's name did you do, Link?!"

She groaned and shook her head, then winced, the movement making her head throb. "Why do you think it's _my_ fault? Aw, whatever. Can we _please_ go to the hospital? I'm starting to get nauseous."

"Fine." Vaati grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her out of the pawn shop, ignoring her complaints about how the fast pace was making her even more nauseous. "You're telling me exactly what happened as soon as we get back to the dorms," he stated.

"Kaaaay," Link sighed. Her head was really hurting now, throbbing with every heartbeat and every step she took, and her stomach was heavy with nausea. She was grateful for Vaati pulling her along; she could close her eyes every so often to hide from the busy scenes passing by. Yep, she probably had a concussion. Wouldn't be the first.

Thankfully, the nearest hospital was two streets away, and before long Link was sitting in one of the doctor's offices, watching with some fascination as he cleaned the cuts on her head and put stitches in. He gave her the good news that the cuts shouldn't scar too badly, but she did need to rest as much as possible so she could recover from her concussion. She cheerfully thanked him and headed out to the waiting room, where Vaati had decided to stay while she got patched up.

"All better now!" she told him with a smile. "Except I've got a concussion, but that's not a big deal."

Vaati shook his head tiredly and sighed. "Let's just go back already."

* * *

Once they got to their room, Link immediately crawled into her bed and shut her eyes. The nausea and photophobia were her least favorite things about concussions. Not moving helped with the nausea, but it never fully went away. And with the photophobia she couldn't even read a book to pass the time without making her whole head throb.

"Sorry I ruined your shopping trip," she apologized to Vaati. "We can go another time, though!"

"You're unbelievable." Link could hear him sitting down on his own bed, probably taking off his shoes. He sighed, then made a sort of frustrated growl. "We're not going back there."

Link laughed lightly. "Yeah, I'll probably get shot before I can step through the door. So maybe we can go with that dinner idea?"

She heard Vaati's bed creak, and then his steps as he walked over to her side of the room. Link cracked open one eye just enough to see him by. He stood with arms crossed, glaring down at her, and she knew there was no escaping.

"Explain."


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: I forgot to include some afternotes on that last chapter. First, I borrowed a line from a really cute song called "It's Not Like I Like You!" - check it out on YouTube and tell me if you spot the line! Second, I was worried that the Yiga suddenly attacking Link didn't make sense, but my final logic was this: in BotW, the Yiga always try to deceive Link, and then - whether their deception worked or not - they try to kill him. Link's going to give us some more commentary on the way the Yiga operate; but anyways, I've tried to keep it reasonable and believable.

Okyaku-san: I feel like if Link were to tell Vaati the real reason she's always hanging out with him and supporting him, he wouldn't believe her - he'll think it's just another joke. When will the big reveal come? Even I don't know! But I'm definitely looking forward to it! And yeah, our poor Link is having a rough time of it. It'll be worth it, though. Eventually.

This is a shorter update, and I must admit, it's a little weak. I always struggle whenever I have a new character. I'll try to make up for it in the next chapter! Also, let me know what you guys think of the new cover!

* * *

Chapter 11

Vaati was staring at her, unmoving and unsympathetic, impatiently waiting for Link to explain herself. She squinted at him with one eye. "Explain why I want to have dinner with you?" she said, pretending to not understand. She gave a weak little laugh. "That kinda puts me on the spot..."

"No, blockhead, explain why those men attacked you." Vaati clearly had zero patience for her jokes at the moment.

"Didn't I already say...? All I did was try haggling for a mirror, and then the dude pushed me. I ended up dropping the mirror and that's when he really got mad." It wasn't the best cover story, she had to admit, but in her foggy, concussion-induced state, it was the best she could do.

"Then why were there two of them? And if they worked at the store, why did they leave the moment I showed up?" Vaati pressed. "I know you're one of the most annoying people to ever exist, but attacking you is still taking it too far for just a broken mirror."

Link squeezed her eyes shut and draped an arm over her head. "Maybe they had anger issues."

"Why won't you give me a straight answer?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked in an innocent tone. "I'm being totally honest! I never lie! I'm the only person in the whole world that doesn't lie!"

Vaati took a moment to respond. "And now you're being sarcastic, aren't you..." he murmured.

"Maybe," she smiled.

Her roommate grumbled and started pacing, not saying anything for a few minutes. Link enjoyed the respite from talking. Her brain hurt too much to be having this conversation with him right now. Any other kind of injury she could pretty much ignore, but the effects of one that affected her brain were nearly impossible to avoid. Her brain simply wasn't capable of processing at its normal speed. Such a situation could turn out dangerous for a spy like herself.

"Whatever," Vaati finally stated. Link heard his steps take him towards the door. "Keep it a secret, I don't care. If it happens again, though, you're on your own."

Link sighed as Vaati left the room, shutting the door with a loud clack. "So, what, I'm not allowed to have my own secrets?" she murmured to the empty room. It was petty of her to complain about that, she knew, but she couldn't help feeling worn out. Maybe Vaati actually was concerned, it was just that he didn't know how to express it, and so he treated her roughly. Or maybe she was just having wishful thinking again. Link knew that Vaati didn't _hate_ her, but beyond that she had no clue how he truly felt about her.

That wasn't the main problem right now, though. No, the problem was that Link was stuck in her room, unable to keep an eye on her targets, essentially rendered immobile - the doctor had said she'd need up to a week of rest to recover from her concussion. It was a spy's nightmare. She could do literally nothing until her concussion was gone. If she tried going about her normal tasks, she could end up with permanent damage to her brain. And on top of all that, she had to report in to Impa and tell her she was out of action for the time being.

As for the Yiga, Link hadn't been particularly surprised that they had attacked her. In fact, it was more of a surprise that this was just now the first time. The Yiga clan were not known for their spying skills, despite how much they tried to act like spies. Link couldn't count the number of times she had tricked a Yiga agent into blowing their own cover, not to mention the other times that they simply threw off their cover of their own volition. No, spying was not their forte. Their true skill lay in assassinations.

Exposing Yiga spies was never a problem. It was when they were exposed that they became dangerous. They preferred to kill anyone in their way, even if it would be easier to avoid a fight, and they were relentless when it came to completing assassinations. Link had more than a few scars from her encounters with the Yiga. That said, being attacked was the least surprising thing to have happened to her.

Grumbling, she grabbed her phone and pulled up Impa's contact. Time to face the boss.

"This is Impa."

"Yeah, it's Link. I haven't gotten any Lon Lon Milk this week, what's up with that?"

"I used it all to make biscuits." It was one of their password phrases to validate each other's identities. "Is something wrong?"

Link sighed. "I've got a concussion." She proceeded to tell Impa the whole story of what had occurred at Karusa Pawn earlier that day. "The doctor said I should take a week off and rest," she concluded.

The phone was silent for a long moment as Impa processed the information. Then she replied, "Understood. I will assign an agent to monitor for you while you recover."

"Thanks, Impa. And, uh, sorry. You told me to be careful, and then I went and let my guard down."

"It's not the worst thing that could have happened. You made a mistake, but I believe the Yiga erred as well. Attacking you may have jeopardized their chances to win Vaati's loyalty. In any case, there is nothing you can do for now." Impa's voice was calm and straightforward, and Link let out a sigh of relief. She'd been worried that Impa would be disappointed in her for letting herself get injured.

Her adoptive mother wished her quick healing and then hung up, leaving Link to finally get some sleep.

* * *

 _Next day, 9:00am_

Link's plans to sleep in nice and long were completely spoiled when somebody suddenly knocked - no, _banged_ on the door, startling her awake. She only had a moment to wonder who it could possibly be and why they hadn't noticed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign she'd put up before they started ramming on the door again. Half-asleep, the Hylian dragged herself out of bed and opened the door.

A red-headed Gerudo stood there, her gold earrings swaying wildly as she shook her head and sighed in disappointment at Link. "You'll never change, will you? Still sleep like the dead."

"Aveil...?" was all Link could get out in half-asleep confusion. "What are you doing here?"

All she got was a smirk in return. "Come on, go back to your bed. I'll wait til you've woken up a little more." Aveil pushed past Link, making her way over to her desk. Link shut the door; her foggy mind managed to remember to lock it.

She sat on her bed and curiously watched Aveil, who was taking various items out of her big red purse, the half-dozen bracelets on each wrist jingling when she moved. Aveil was basically like Link's aunt; they'd known each other since Link was young, and Aveil had been her teacher in essentially every traditional Gerudo art there was: horseback riding, combat, archery, survival tactics, and the seduction of men. Link hadn't been so good at that last one.

"I am a little disappointed, I must say, Link! You were at the Academy all this time and never let me know." Aveil shook her head. "I'm only a few streets away." She continued digging through her purse.

Link blinked, then rubbed her head. That's right, Aveil lived in Castletown. She hadn't so much forgotten the fact; rather it never seemed important to remember. "I'm just here for work," she mumbled apologetically.

The Gerudo's thick ponytail bobbed as she nodded. "So I heard from Impa." Aveil had been Link's trainer for her role as a Sheikah, so she knew exactly what Link meant by 'work'. "She called and told me you got a concussion. You gave the other guy a nice present in return, didn't you?"Aveil finally seemed to find what she was looking for - a tube of lipstick.

"Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to. Next time," Link chuckled. Then she straightened up, crossing her legs under her. "You aren't the replacement, are you?"

Aveil nodded, a smug smile on her face. "I _am_ retired, but I don't mind doing a favor for you. After all, I'm close by to the Academy, so I don't have to be relocated just to cover you for a week." She grabbed a pocket mirror and began applying a layer of bright red lipstick. "All I have to do is keep an eye on your roommate and that girl Tiv, right? Easy as voltfruit pie."

It was a surprise to see Aveil stepping in, but Link mostly felt relief. She knew the Gerudo's abilities and she had confidence that she wouldn't make a wrong move or jeopardize the mission in any way. It was good to have someone she knew and trusted. She'd actually be able to rest without any worries.

Link leaned forward and pointed under her bed. "I've got Vaati bugged, so basically all you'll need to do is listen throughout the day. My other gear is under there as well." She paused, frowning as she tried to remember if there was anything else important to share. "...don't let Tiv see you. She's not quite like other Yiga; she's a decent spy and she's sharp. She likes to hang around Vaati whenever I'm not there, so she'll probably make use of me being out of action. Though, with what happened, I wonder if Vaati will avoid her..." Link sighed. "Tiv is a little unpredictable, so I'm not entirely sure what she'll try."

"Don't worry about it. I'll keep it under control." Aveil replaced her lipstick and mirror in her purse, then turned her golden-amber eyes to trace over Link's face. She nodded as though satisfied. "You pass surprisingly well as a man. A rather feminine man, but it's believable."

"Thanks, I guess?"

"Have you accidentally charmed anyone with that pretty boy face of yours?" Aveil queried, scooting forward in her chair.

Link could feel her face warm up, and she looked away and mumbled something mostly unintelligible along the lines of "maybe one or two". Her Gerudo friend's smile grew, which only made her blush more.

"Still the same as ever, I see!" Aveil laughed, leaning back. "Unwittingly charming others but completely clueless when it comes to dealing with your fans."

"I'm not... clueless, I just get embarrassed... And it's especially awkward when they don't know I'm a girl..." She recalled the two girls that had each questioned her about whether or not she had a girlfriend, and she - knowing what they were trying to get at - made some excuse about having one back in Kakariko City. "Can I go back to sleep?" she said, almost whined, wanting to escape the subject.

Aveil reached out and patted Link on the head, laughing. "I'll let you off for now, since the whole reason I'm here is so you can get over that inconvenient concussion of yours." She grabbed the various gear she'd need from under Link's bed and hid it all away in her big purse. "I'll visit from time to time. I do want to meet that roommate of yours as well. Bye for now!" She let herself out, leaving Link to rest.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Since Link is out of action due to a certain inconvenient concussion, we'll be seeing the story from Vaati's perspective for this chapter! I'm trying to keep a nice balance between the development of the story and the development of Link and Vaati's relationship. Definite Laati development in this chapter, though!

Okyaku-san: I literally cracked up over your imagined conversation between Aveil and Link XD You can be sure that Aveil's got an interest in Link's love life! She might be the one that gives the two of them that nudge they need.

Welcome to TheAzureRose8, MadokaGranger, asuna69, and Luke Shadowrider! So many new followers! Thanks for reading this little story of mine, guys!

* * *

Chapter 12

 _Friday, noon_

 _Saria Park, Hyrule Royal Academy_

It felt as though Vaati had walked onto a giant chess board in the middle of the game, and he couldn't tell who was winning and if he was a playing piece or not. What the end game was, the prize they were fighting for... He wasn't even quite sure who the players were. That was how the current situation with Tiv and Link appeared to him.

Usually he would be in the library at this hour, but today the violet-haired Hylian felt the need to take a walk to get his thoughts sorted out. The October air was brisk and fallen leaves crunched under his feet. There weren't many other students out, likely keeping indoors where there was no chilly breeze. Vaati halted in the middle of the park, debating whether to keep walking or sit down for a bit, then turned towards the wooden bench on the side of the park path. With a sigh he dropped onto the bench and glared at the orange trees across the way.

He was in the dark, and he hated it. Even Link had an idea about what was going on, even if he tried to fake it. Something told him that Link knew exactly why Tiv disliked him, and exactly why he'd been attacked at the pawn shop. Vaati suddenly remembered that time his roommate had randomly brought back an arrow; he had dismissed Link's story about how it suddenly shot in front of his face and stuck in the wall, believing it to be just another of the blonde's fake tales. Now, though, he felt certain that it had been a threat from Tiv.

But _why_? From what Vaati could tell, Link was essentially harmless. Annoying as a fly, but he couldn't imagine what would cause him to be a target of attack. And to top it off, Link was clearly hiding the reason from Vaati. Something was going on behind the scenes. If only he had a clue as to what.

Do something - he needed to _do_ something. Link was a dead end at the moment. Time to confront the other party, then. Vaati pulled out his phone and typed up a quick message to that annoying girl Tiv.

 _Meet me in Saria Park._

Her reply took about ten minutes. _right now?_

 _Vaati: Now._

 _Tiv: ok~!_

While he waited, Vaati paced up and down the park path, formulating his list of questions that he would throw at her. She came trotting up after five minutes, smiling in that confident, carefree way of hers. "What's up, Vaati? Did you make a decision about our deal?" she greeted him.

"I went to that pawn shop," he stated accusingly.

Tiv frowned just a little. "Uh, isn't that kind of violating the deal?"

"No, it's called being intelligent and checking to see if your offer is legitimate. While I was there, some friends of yours attacked Link." Vaati watched Tiv with narrowed eyes, on the lookout for any change in her expression that might give away something.

She opened her mouth and eyes wide in an expression of surprise. "My friends? None of my friends know Link, so that's a bit of a stretch, don't you think? But that's really horrible! Is he okay?"

"Don't bother lying to me," he scowled. "You already told me that you don't like Link, so don't pretend to be worried about him. Why did they attack him? And who threatened him with that arrow?"

There - her eyes narrowed in confusion for a split second. "I think maybe you're being over dramatic? I said I don't like the guy but it's not like I want him dead or anything. I just want him, y'know, as out of the picture as possible."

"Giving him a concussion is a pretty effective way of doing that," Vaati said dryly. It seemed that Tiv wasn't willing to reveal the true nature of the conflict between her and Link, either. He ground his teeth and tried a different question. "Why do you want to help me get my magic? What's in it for you?"

Tiv slowly smiled, too calm and confident. She took a few steps in a circle before answering. "Maybe I'm hoping you'll do me a favor in return. See, there's something I want, but I need magic in order to get it, and I've got, like, zero magic ability. It's kinda like a trade - I help you, you help me. That's honest, isn't it?" She fixed her smile on him.

It was probably the most honest she'd ever been, and it gave Vaati some satisfaction to know a little more about what she was thinking. But ultimately, this deal was not one he was willing to take. Sure, he'd been tempted at first, and that was why he'd gone to Karusa Pawn, hoping to find something that would ignite his interest further. Ultimately, however...

"I don't like to be in others' debt," he told the girl. "Solve your problem yourself." He turned and began to walk away.

"Are you sure you won't regret it?" Tiv called after him. "It's not like Link can help you like I can!"

He cast a brief glare over his shoulder. "Who said I needed anyone's help? I'll find my magic with my own power."

* * *

 _6:27pm_

 _Link and Vaati's room_

Vaati avoided going back to the dorms until the evening. If he wanted to seem nice he'd say it was so that Link could rest, but in reality he was irked with his roommate. Though Vaati may have declined Tiv's deal, it didn't mean he was doing it to have Link on his side. The blonde was hiding something. He'd gotten used to Link being so open and honest that this sudden suspicious behavior bothered him.

He couldn't really find much more of an excuse to stay away for the day, however. The library was closed, he'd already grabbed dinner, and he didn't have his laptop, so he couldn't work on his homework in the common room. Sighing, Vaati pushed open the door, hoping that Link was at least asleep.

His wish was granted - Link was sprawled out on his bed, the steady rise and fall of his chest indicating he was in deep sleep. He wasn't alone, though: a woman with bright red haired tied up in a thick ponytail was sitting at Link's desk. She turned her head when Vaati opened the door, and he saw that her skin was a warm brown, her eyes golden amber; a Gerudo, middle-aged, he would guess.

Before he could get a word out, she smiled at him and said, "You must be Vaati." She chuckled a little. "Sorry to surprise you - my name is Aveil. I'm Link's unofficial aunt, if you will. I came over to check on him and that nasty concussion of his."

"Oh. Nice to meet you." He was more wary than usual of this unknown person and he kept his red eyes fixed on her as he took off his shoes. While it was true that Link was adopted and had no blood relations, and his adoptive family was Sheikah, he still questioned why a Gerudo would be part of Link's family. Aveil calmly returned his gaze with a smile. "Are you staying long?" Vaati queried. He hoped not.

"I could leave now that you're here. I was just watching over Link while he slept; it can be dangerous to fall asleep when you have a concussion, after all. I don't think his is that severe, though." Aveil uncrossed her legs and stood, grabbing her big red purse from the desk. Then she gave the sleeping Link a pat on the head. It did seem like she was familiar with Link, and Vaati couldn't imagine that she had just somehow gotten into their room; Link must have let her in. Grudgingly he accepted her story that she was Link's 'unofficial aunt'.

The Gerudo turned to Vaati next, giving him that same calm smile. He felt suddenly that she was looking at him like he was a cute child. "Link told me that you were quite attractive, and I see he wasn't wrong," Aveil commented in a tone of approval.

Vaati's mouth pulled into a frown, and he squinted at her in confusion. First, why had she said that out of nowhere - there was no way she was flirting with him, was she? No, there was that way she looked at him like a parent admired a child. Second, _Link_ had said Vaati was attractive? And third, why did she sound so... _satisfied_ about that? Not wanting to give Aveil the satisfaction of seeing him flustered, Vaati finally scowled and said, "Link says strange things that are rarely true."

The reply he got to that was a barely concealed laugh. "You'll find that most of the things he says are actually quite true. It's just up to you whether you believe him or not. Of course, he has his secrets like everyone else, but in general he tends to be an honest person." Aveil walked past Vaati to the door and gave a small wave with her fingers. "It was nice meeting you, Vaati. I'm sure we'll see each other again sometime." She shut the door behind her, leaving Vaati vaguely confused.

He sighed and cast a glare at Link, even though its effect was totally lost on the sleeping youth. Did he have to go and say such weird things to people? Even though Link had said he wasn't gay, he wasn't exactly making a great case for himself in that area. Vaati sighed again. When he thought about it, though, Link treated everyone with that same friendly closeness, and the way he teased Vaati was purely to get a reaction out of him; Vaati was not the best at detecting the feelings of others - he'd never cared what others felt so he never bothered to figure their feelings out, but when he took into account Link's personality, it seemed to him that Link considered Vaati as a close friend. Such comments had no true meaning behind them. He reminded himself of that. Over the past few weeks he'd gotten better at dealing with Link's teasing by thinking that same thing: they had no true meaning.

So he let Aveil's comment go, pulling out his chair and opening up his laptop. There were still a few hours before bedtime, time best spent doing homework and research, not worrying about his roommate.

* * *

He'd forgotten about this dream. It was strange, because it was a dream he'd always had, ever since he could remember. It didn't come every night, just often enough that he could never quite forget it. When had it stopped coming to him? Why had it stopped was a better question, now that he thought about it. Vaati's consciousness and his questions faded away into the familiarity of the dream.

It began with emptiness. A void. Complete and utter darkness, so deep that he couldn't see anything of his surroundings, couldn't see himself. He tried to reach out, wanting to touch something so that he could sense what was around him, but there was nothing. No walls surrounding him. No ground beneath his feet. Not even air brushed his fingers when he moved them.

He tried to speak, to call out, but though he was sure his mouth moved, no sound came out. Perhaps it was swallowed up by the darkness. Or perhaps he no longer had a voice. Again and again he forced himself to make sound, any sound, until he was screaming - yet still silent.

 _GET ME OUT OF THIS HELL!_

The emptiness around him threatened to swallow his very existence. There was nothing, nothing at all, and he began to doubt if he perhaps he was only darkness, too.

Suddenly, it wasn't empty anymore.

He could feel solid ground and see blue sky and breathe fresh air and hear trees rustling. And he was no longer alone, either. There was a child, staring at him with an expression of complete shock. A child with wide, blue eyes and blonde hair. The same child he saw every time. Except this time, he knew who the child was.

"Link..."

Slowly, the child Link's surprise faded, to be replaced with hardened eyes and a deep frown. Determination, perhaps. He'd seen it before, when Link faced those men. A look that said he was ready to fight. The fierceness in his eyes was so different from his usual childlike happiness.

He wondered, as always, why the child looked at him that way.

And as always, his surroundings suddenly grew black again, fading away into darkness, returning him to that prison of emptiness which only felt twice as tortuous now after he had tasted the real world for that brief moment.

He wanted out. He needed out. He could not endure the void, could not endure the emptiness any longer. He was going to lose himself if he stayed. Already he had forgotten what he looked like, could not remember the sound of his own voice, even his name was fading from his mind.

 _I must get out, I must get out, I must find a way, I cannot lose myself here, I refuse to lose myself here, I refuse to vanish, I must not vanish, I must-_

He felt something touch him.

* * *

Vaati jolted awake, breathing heavily, heart pounding in his throat and in his ears. It was the dead of night, but light snuck in through the gaps in the curtains, and he was barely able to make out the ceiling. The fact that he could _see_ something helped him to quell his panic just a little. It was only a dream, a bad dream, but the fear he always felt when he woke up was real.

He was slowly able to calm down, though he was left with an uneasy feeling. Why had that dream come now, of all times? Link was in it, too. He had always been in that dream, but Vaati had forgotten all about it until now. The end of the dream was different, however. Something had touched him, in the midst of all that emptiness. Usually, he would remain in the darkness until he faded deeper into sleep or woke up in a cold sweat. He was always alone in that part of the dream.

Too worn out to wonder about it now, Vaati closed his eyes, hoping sleep would quickly come. He was nearly asleep when he suddenly felt something heavy come to rest on his shoulder and across his chest. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to the left just enough to see -

Link's head resting on his shoulder, mere inches from his face.

" _Din!_ " Vaati hissed, shooting up into a sitting position to glare at his unwelcome visitor. "Link, for the love of - what are you -" he sputtered in a whisper. Link just shifted slightly, nestling his head on his arm, apparently unperturbed by being thrown off of Vaati's shoulder and the hissed curses following it. The violet-haired man swallowed the many angry things he wanted to shout into Link's ear at that moment.

Roughly he shook his roommate's shoulder. Link just curled up more and mumbled something. Scowling, Vaati shook harder. "Wake up and get out of my bed!" he hissed.

But Link's ability to sleep through anything was proving strong; he totally ignored Vaati's attacks, instead reaching out and grabbing a pillow, holding it to his chest. A small smile tugged at his lips. So unlike that fierce look, Vaati thought.

He shook his head. He'd have time later to wonder about why he was dreaming about Link. For now, he had to get his annoying roommate out of his bed. Vaati grabbed Link by both shoulders and shook him hard, leaning down so he could whisper-shout into the blonde's ear. " _Link. Wake. Up. Or I'm pushing you off the bed."_

Link made a slight whining sound and his eyes cracked open just a slit. "Vaati...?" he mumbled. "Why're you so close?" He blinked several times as though trying to see him better. "And why're you in my bed?"

" _You're_ in _my_ bed!" Vaati snapped. "Now get out!"

His roommate blinked a few more times, not understanding. Then his eyes widened. "Oh, crap, my bad! I was half-asleep, and the concussion - sorry, I'll just go now!" Link scrambled out of the blankets and moved to swing out of the bed, but his foot caught in the blanket and he was instead sent tumbling to the floor. He just lay there.

Vaati huffed and got up, stepping over Link and switching the light on. Then he walked over to Link's still form and crossed his arms. His roommate was lying face down; he turned his face slightly to glance up at Vaati. He was pleased to see that Link at least had the decency to blush.

"Uh, I didn't do anything, did I?" Link asked uncertainly.

Vaati narrowed his eyes and looked to the side. "You just woke me up."

The blonde let out a relieved sigh and rolled onto his back. "Heh, sorry." A smile spread over his face, and he began laughing. Vaati glared at him. "Sorry, it's just - it's kinda funny, how embarrassed we both are. Your face is all pink."

"Wha - yours is, too!" Vaati sputtered.

"I know," replied Link with a grin. "But it's funny because there's nothing to be so embarrassed about, right? We're both guys so it's not like, you know, anything was going to happen." He gradually sobered, though a ghost of a smile remained on his face.

Vaati opened his mouth to retort, then stopped. Link was right - what was he getting embarrassed for? He frowned and knit his brow. It occurred to him that there had never been any legitimate reason for him to get embarrassed whenever Link invaded his space. Annoyed, yes, but flustered...

"Anyways," his roommate spoke up, "sorry again. I got mixed up and thought your bed was mine. Just a side effect of this annoying concussion." Link sat up and rubbed the back of his head, giving Vaati an apologetic smile.

He looked away and muttered, "Whatever. Just go back to your own bed." Turning his attention away from Link, Vaati shut the light off and crawled into his bed. After a few moments he heard Link stand and walk over to his side of the room, and the rustling of blankets as he slipped into his own bed, followed by a quiet sigh.

Sleep didn't return to Vaati for what felt like hours. He was worn out by both his dream and the incident with Link, perplexed about the strange connection between the two of them, still pondering about how fierce the young Link was in his dream and how Link in real life had smiled and blushed and laughed - his wandering mind realized that he'd never seen Link flustered. An honest person, Aveil had said, but still a person with secrets. Did his dream have anything to do with Link's secrets?

Vaati hated how many questions kept coming. Normally he did not mind having more questions when he was researching - it was a necessary part of research - but now all his questions were about a person. He didn't have the time to focus on Link. He needed to find his magic, and Link was just a distraction. That was all that mattered, wasn't it?

 _"You have to have a good reason for using magic. A purpose..."_ Vaati scowled as Zelda's words came back to him. He had no answer to that, and he didn't need one.

It also made him remember what he'd promised himself after that conversation: he was going to end any relationship with Link if it proved to be a hindrance. So why hadn't he done that yet? Was it because he felt that he was responsible for getting Link injured because he had taken him to Karusa Pawn? Or maybe his curiosity to learn more about Link had prevented him...

Since when had so much of his attention turned to Link?

Vaati buried his face into his pillow, wishing he could cast a spell to make himself fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: So, I planned to have this out on my birthday (the 21st) but I was kinda busy doing birthday stuff X3 That plan didn't go too well. Anyways, a belated birthday present for you all!

I just realized that, other than Ghirahim, Vaati is the only male character... I didn't mean for this to turn into a harem story, really guys, I didn't! XP But on the topic of Ghirahim, he's proving difficult - I can't figure out exactly how he fits into the story. That's part of the reason he hasn't shown up in a while. I'm thinking he has a big role to play; I just have to be careful and play it right.

Okyaku-san: I'm glad you like Aveil! I kind of had to invent her personality since I'm not familiar with her in-game character (she's in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask). Hehe, that Laati moment was definitely fun to write! I'm also happy that you think the dream scene was well-done; it was one of those scenes that I got really engrossed in as I wrote it.

Hello to The Purple Goddesses and lordvaatithewindmage!

* * *

Chapter 13

 _Week nine, Monday, 12:30_

 _Location: Room 503C_

"Is Link sick today?" Zelda asked Vaati at the end of Mythology class.

He looked up at her and frowned, surprised that she'd talked to him. Especially since last time they'd spoken, the girl had run away from him in fear. "You could say that," he answered briefly as he stood and began packing his books into his bag. He glanced around the classroom - good, Tiv had already left - before adding, "He hit his head and got a minor concussion, so he's in the dorms resting."

Zelda's eyes widened with more alarm than Vaati thought was necessary. "Is he okay?!" she exclaimed anxiously. Then she flushed and looked away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so loud..."

"I said it's minor. He's already an idiot so a little brain damage isn't going to hurt. Why would you care, anyways?" Vaati was growing more and more suspicious of everyone lately, and he couldn't help questioning Zelda's interest in Link.

She avoided meeting his gaze, back to her usual timid self. "W-we're just friends. We usually have lunch together after class."

"So that's what you two have been doing..." Vaati muttered to himself, too low for Zelda to hear.

"He likes to talk and debate about different myths with me," Zelda continued, "and share stories of places he's been, things like that..." Letting out a small sigh, Zelda bowed her head apologetically to Vaati. "Tell him I hope he gets well soon." With that, she returned to her seat to grab her things.

Vaati watched her with narrowed eyes. He had only vaguely noticed how Link and Zelda left the class together, not having any reason before to give it a second thought. Now, though, he couldn't help but wonder - what did they _really_ talk about? From what he knew, Zelda kept to herself and had few friends except for Link. She seemed to hold Link in high respect, judging by the conversations Vaati had had with her. It was possible that she knew things about Link that Vaati didn't...

Sensing an opportunity, he called out to Zelda, "Have lunch with me today."

She jolted and turned around, pointing at herself in a 'Who, me?' gesture, even though they were the only ones left in the classroom. When Vaati just nodded, her eyes darted about. "Um, well, I have to study..." she stammered.

"I want to talk to you about Link. You'd normally be having lunch with him anyway, so there's no reason you don't have time," he replied bluntly. Zelda still stared at him like a frightened rabbit. Sighing, he added, "I know you're curious about how Link got a concussion. Have lunch with me and I'll tell you."

The bribe worked. Zelda hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Is the cafeteria okay?" she said in a meek voice.

"That will work," Vaati replied. He swung his backpack onto his shoulder and strode out of the classroom, not checking to see if the girl was following.

* * *

"...That is what happened," concluded Vaati. He'd decided to tell Zelda the whole story - including Tiv's offer - since showing her how he'd declined it might convince her that he wasn't a total magic-hungry monster. And if she feared him less, she might be more willing to tell him what he wanted to know.

Her reaction to the story was a little different than what he had been expecting. Zelda's eyes had been wide during most of his story, but now she just frowned deeply and stared off into space, clearly deep in thought.

"Do you have any ideas about why Tiv would be targeting Link?" Vaati pressed, sensing that she was forming a theory.

Zelda took a long moment to answer. Then she shook her head in a deliberate fashion. "I... don't, sorry... Or, at least, not one I can voice right now. I would have to ask Link myself..."

"For the love of -" Vaati snapped, pressing a hand to his forehead and thumping his other fist on the table. Why would no one tell him anything?! What was it that everyone but him knew? There was a missing clue somewhere, hidden from his view, just out of reach. He heaved a sigh mixed with a growl and stood. "I've tried asking him myself, I've tried asking Tiv, and now you as well, but apparently I am not going to learn anything that way. This was a waste of time."

As he started to walk away, Zelda called out, "Wait! Just - just be careful! Link isn't your enemy. That I know for sure."

Vaati chose not to answer her, ignoring her and exiting the cafeteria. Of course Link wasn't his enemy, but he wasn't sure he could call him his friend, not with how he kept such important secrets from Vaati. Scowling and walking at a fast pace, he ended up ramming into someone as he turned down a hall - a girl with red hair and glasses. Vaati's eyes flickered to her briefly - she looked vaguely familiar - before he muttered a quick apology and walked on past her.

What was the missing puzzle piece? What connected all these seemingly unrelated incidents? Link was at the center of it, while Vaati was deliberately being kept on the outside. Was there anything that Tiv, Zelda, and Link had in common? He mulled over this as he took the long way to the library.

He remembered the time in class that he had been grouped with those three. Tiv had been eager to know if he wanted to use magic so he could be like the sorcerer Vaati from myth. Then there was the time with Link at the fairy fountain. He'd told Vaati how Zelda didn't want him to find magic, but Link on the other hand believed he could do good with magic. After that, Tiv had made him that offer to get him his magic, only with the exception of cutting ties with Link. Zelda the same day had lectured Vaati on having a purpose for magic.

Was his magic the connecting point?

Vaati shook his head. Even if that was true, why then would he be kept in the dark about all of it? He knew that Tiv wanted it for her own purposes, while Link supported him out of some strange good-will. There wouldn't be anything to hide from him if it was only about his magic.

The automatic doors to the library opened in front of him, and he halted. He'd been so lost in thought that he didn't realize he was already at his destination. Vaati stood in the entrance for several moments.

Then, abruptly, he spun around and marched off in the opposite direction. He was in simply no mood to do homework now. No, he had only one drive at that moment: he needed to figure out what was going on. And that meant confronting Link.

Concussion or not, Vaati was not letting him get away from the issue. Not this time.

* * *

Luck, however, was not on Vaati's side that day. When he marched through their room's door, mouth open to start shooting questions at Link, he found Aveil and Link having what appeared to be an argument. He halted in the doorway.

"It's not a good idea, Aveil! Seriously!" Link was waving his hands in front of him like he didn't want the Gerudo to get any closer to him.

She, on the other hand, ignored the gesture and took a step forward, holding out some sort of folded-up, shimmery fabric. "Oh, it won't hurt! In fact, it could even be a good thing - there's money at stake, and I'm positive you'd win with this."

"There's about a million ways it could hurt! The biggest one being the most obvious! The contest might sound fun but I'm not wearing something like _that_!" Link's voice was going up in pitch; he actually sounded frustrated.

"Something like what?" Vaati cut in.

Link and Aveil's heads snapped towards Vaati; apparently they hadn't noticed him at all, as engrossed in their argument as they were. Aveil beat Link to explain, speaking loudly even as the blonde tried to talk. "This traditional Gerudo outfit," she said, holding out the fabric for Vaati to see. "I'm trying to convince him to wear it for the Halloween contest."

Vaati stared at the folded clothes in her outstretched hands: sky blue and green fabrics trimmed with gold. A traditional Gerudo outfit... "I see the problem," he said slowly. "That's going pretty far, even by Link's standards."

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing. Discuss it later. I need to talk to Link, so can you leave?" he bluntly asked Aveil.

She peered at him for a moment, and he wondered if she was offended by his tone. However, she smirked slightly. "Looks like Vaati has some serious business to settle with you, Link," she grinned. "If that look in his eye is any indicator, I'd say you've got a rough time ahead of you. I am kind of curious now. But I'll let you two hash it out." Aveil quickly put the Gerudo clothes into a bag and strode last Vaati. "Best of luck, Link!"

"Some help you are!" Link shouted after her. Then his eyes drifted to Vaati, and he laughed nervously. "You look kinda angry..."

"That's because I am." He shut and locked the door in a slightly exaggerated fashion, making sure Link saw, and then turned to his roommate, crossing his arms and glaring at him. For several moments he said nothing, only stared at Link with that seething gaze.

Link shifted on his feet uncomfortably, breaking eye contact. "Uh, so, what're you angry about...?"

"The fact that you are hiding important secrets from me." He saw Link flinch slightly at that. Taking a step forward, he continued, "I can understand if Zelda doesn't tell me anything; we barely know each other. I can understand if Tiv bribes me or tries to use me for her own benefit, but even she's been more honest with me than you have." Vaati took another step forward; Link was listening to him with a frown. "Normally I wouldn't care whether you're having some fight with somebody. It has nothing to do with me. So leave me out of it, then. But this _does_ have something to do with me, doesn't it? Now tell me, Link -" he was standing right in front of him now "- does it, or does it not?"

Vaati could see Link struggling to keep his eyes from straying. The blonde cracked a weak smile and replied meekly, "Maybe...? Er, sorry, I'm a little confused!" he stammered in a louder voice when Vaati growled. "What exactly are we talking about? Zelda and Tiv and bribes and fights...?"

"Don't act dumb," Vaati snapped. Then he froze, suddenly realizing that he'd never actually told Link about his encounters with Tiv; he'd just assumed Link already knew somehow. Scowling, he shook his head. "Tiv's the one who told me about that pawn shop." He explained Tiv's offer as briefly as possible.

Link's smile gradually turned to a frown. "So, according to Tiv, we've got some sort of rivalry going on and she's willing to hurt me and bribe you to get what she wants? That sounds even crazier than something I would come up with..." He shook his head. "I don't know what she has against me, but it sounds like she just really wants your magic."

"If you really have no idea why she's after you, why wouldn't you tell me what actually happened at the pawn shop?"

"That..." his roommate muttered. Vaati leaned closer, causing Link to take a step back. "That's because I didn't understand what happened, and I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you. It makes a little more sense now, though... Those guys attacked me out of the blue, telling me to 'stay out of it' and that they 'didn't like to leave things to chance'. I guess they were talking about you...?"

Vaati sighed and turned away, rubbing a hand down his face. "Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?"

"I already told you, you wouldn't have believed me! 'I got a death threat for no reason at all!' Real convincing story! Ugh..."

Was Link... upset? Vaati turned his head to look at the blonde; Link was holding one hand to his head, frowning severely. He glanced up and met Vaati's gaze. "You're really not the trusting type at all, are you..." Link sighed. "I mean, yeah, I lied, but not because I wanted to hide it from you. I'm on your side, and you can't get rid of me, remember? Someday you'll get that through that dense head of yours."

"You're calling _me_ dense?!" Vaati sputtered.

Link smiled just a little. "Yeah, I am." Then he rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Man, I've got a killer headache now..." He flopped onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow.

Vaati stood there, staring at Link, wondering. He didn't understand why Link was so stubborn about being his friend and ally. Such a thing as pure good-will didn't exist in Vaati's mind. There had to be some sort of motive. After all, even Vaati himself knew that he was not the friendly type; he'd had zero friends up until now, and that had been perfectly fine by him.

"One more question, Link."

His roommate grumbled into his pillow and turned his head to frown at Vaati. Taking that as consent to speak, Vaati asked, "Why do you insist on being my ally?"

Link stared at him flatly. "Because I like you, duh. And don't ask me to explain that, either. I just do, for some weird reason. That's usually why people become friends, you know. Can I go to sleep now?"

"Yeah..." Vaati mumbled, quickly turning around so that Link couldn't see the confused look on his face.

He knew he didn't mean it like _that_ , but Link's words still shocked him. No one had ever said that to him, not genuinely. He wasn't a likeable person, so of course no one had ever said they liked him. Only those who wanted something from him pretended to like him, but he always quickly found out their true feelings. Over time he had shut himself off from growing attached to anyone.

All his earlier anger had dissipated, leaving him feeling slightly empty. He didn't know how he was supposed to feel now. Grateful? Pleased? Relieved? Vaati cast a glance back at Link. Hopeful, perhaps, though for what exactly, he wasn't sure.

Vaati quietly left the room, shutting the door softly. Then he walked down the hall and through the common room, planning to go over to the library. He halted, however, when he saw Aveil sitting in one of the lounge chairs, looking at him with a confident smile.

"Were you waiting?" he frowned.

She uncrossed her legs and nodded. "I really was curious to know what you two were talking about. You didn't roast Link too hard, did you?"

Vaati scowled at her, looking away. "It wasn't anything that important. Just a misunderstanding."

"Hmm," she hummed, watching him with that same smile. Then she queried, "Do you like your roommate?"

He froze for a moment, before saying warily, "That feels like a trick question."

Aveil chuckled - it felt like she was always laughing at him for one reason or another. "Well, you have to live with him, so it would be difficult if you didn't like him at least a little."

"...I tolerate him. I suppose you could call us friends."

"That's a relief to hear. Believe it or not, Link actually has very few close friends." Aveil nodded her head emphatically when Vaati frown at her, critical of such a statement. "It's a simple reason: he's always moving around. He went to three different high schools, not to mention how many different elementary schools. It's hard to make and keep friends when you're only around them for a year. He's always been friendly, but it's actually rare for him to get attached to anyone."

"Why did he change schools so many times?" Vaati murmured.

To that, Aveil shook her head and stood. "That's something you'll have to ask him yourself. I have somewhere to be now. See you again, Vaati, dear!" She left before he had a chance to reply.

Sighing, Vaati sank onto one of the couches, propping his chin on his hand. Aveil's story about Link's past didn't fit at all with the image he had in his mind. It seemed simply impossible that Link didn't have any close friends; even if he was annoying to Vaati, he still knew that Link was the kind of person that most other people would like. So he had always assumed Link had various other friends. But when he thought about it, Vaati couldn't think of a time that he saw Link hanging out with others, other than when he had lunch with Zelda.

Not that it mattered, he reminded himself. It didn't matter whether Link had friends or not. It didn't matter if Vaati had friends. None of that mattered. So why did he seem to care so much about these unnecessary things lately?

He would never figure it out by sitting and thinking about it, he knew. It was best to distract himself with something more productive. Vaati slowly stood and walked out towards the library.

 _Of all the people Link could have been friends with, he chose me. I will never understand that person._


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: At last! This chapter... I don't even know why it took so long to write. I have some big events in mind, but I kind of have to bridge the story so they make sense once we get there. I think it's just one of my weak points when it comes to writing. Anywho, thank you for encouraging me to keep going! It truly does spark my motivation when I hear from you guys.

Okyaku-san: Aveil's name isn't given in OoT, but she's the one that gives you the Gerudo Membership Card. In MM, she is the leader of the pirates - that's where her name is given.

TatlTails: I try to keep it from being monotonous, glad it's keeping you on your toes! I think you'll enjoy the next few chapters - I'm planning to keep bringing up hints about Vaati's past. I've figured out why he's been reborn in this cycle... c: I really loved the Yiga and Sheikah in BotW; the Sheikah clothes that Link can wear in BotW were kind of the inspiration for this Link being a Sheikah agent.

Hello to Shadow-Graves, TatlTails, and ranbu0264!

* * *

Chapter 14

Week Nine, Thursday, 5:22pm

Farore Dorms Common Room

Vaati's eyes flickered to Link, then just as quickly away, a frown starting to crease his forehead. Link continued to stare at him from her spot on the couch across from him. It was difficult not to laugh at how his eye was starting to twitch. Finally, he slammed down his book and glared at the blonde. "What do you want?"

Link grinned widely and swung her arms up into the air. "Studying is making me tired. Let's go practice magic instead!"

"There is no magic to practice with, genius." Vaati lifted his book back up, clearly wanting to ignore Link again.

"I have an idea, though! I make you angry, and then you blast wind at me! Just like last time."

She smiled even as Vaati stared at her, completely unamused. "That's the best you could come up with? Forget it. I don't want to be held responsible for any injuries or damage."

"But, you've never been able to use magic otherwise, right?" Link pressed. "If we can recreate that, then we might be able to figure out what unlocks your magic, and also what locks it back up. Because that's what the problem is, right - you've got something blocking the magic. You could try to keep it flowing after it's unlocked. Come on, we gotta try, at least. We'll never beat Tiv if you don't unlock your magic on your own." She tapped the side of her head. "I actually thought this one through!"

Her roommate looked at her from behind his book, like he was interested but pretending not to be. Then, slowly, he lowered the book, sighing and looking away. "Like I said, I won't be held responsible for any injuries," he muttered.

Leaping to her feet, Link grinned and gestured for Vaati to follow her. "To the park! I'm going to enjoy this! Permission to annoy you is probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance. No turning back, now."

Vaati gave her a death glare but followed her outside. "I'm going to wind-slap that grin off of your face..."

"That's the goal!" she replied cheerfully.

Since she'd been out of action the past week, Link was eager to jump back into her work with a passion. According to Aveil, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had happened since Vaati rejected Tiv's deal. It didn't seem right that the Yiga would do nothing at all while Link was conveniently away. Whatever was going on, Link knew that Tiv wasn't being idle. She had to do something to get ahead in the game, and pestering Vaati seemed like just the way to do it.

Admittedly, she had another reason for choosing this method of unlocking Vaati's power. It was a chance to pry into his past and his personal affairs, things that he kept secret from everyone. She wondered if he had any clue what she had in mind. Probably not; he'd conceded too easily. Link chuckled softly to herself.

Once they reached Saria Park and checked that no one was nearby (Saria Park was usually empty, compared to always-busy Komali Park), Link pushed Vaati into the center of a clear area where there was no risk of toppling any trees or sending benches flying.

"Are you ready?" Link half-shouted, causing Vaati to flinch and scowl.

"I'm right in front of you, don't yell!" he grumbled.

"But I'm supposed to make you angry!" Link replied just as loudly as before. "Is it working?"

Vaati shook his head and muttered under his breath, "What did I get myself into..."

"Okay, begin interrogation! How many times have you blasted people with your magic?"

"Geez, you make it sound like I attack people. I _accidentally_ did it twice before I met you. And why is this an interrogation?"

"Did you send anyone to the hospital?"

"No."

"Give people nightmares?"

"How would I know?!"

"Okay, did you lose any friends after that?"

"Can't lose what you never had in the first place."

"Ooooh, cold response! Is there a heart somewhere inside that prickly shell?"

"No comment. Next question."

"Why do you dislike people so much?"

"Because they are annoying and distracting. Like you. I don't need friends."

"Ouch, you wound me. So cold, so cold. So I guess you don't need me around helping you?"

"...I didn't say that."

That pause - hesitation meant she was poking a sensitive area. She prodded more. "But you just said you don't need friends. That means you don't need me."

"Again, I didn't say that. Talk about something else."

"Nope!"

Vaati scowled at her. "Din, you are annoying."

"So if you don't _don't_ need me, then it means you need me. I'm so flattered! The great Vaati, famously friendless, has deemed me worthy of his approval!" Link bowed deeply to her roommate. "O how may I best serve you, my illustrious friend?"

"What are you, a servant? Last I checked, friendship doesn't equal slavery. Quit bowing already!"

Link glanced up and flashed him a smile. "Why, are you _embarrassed_?" He averted his gaze, glaring at the distant trees. "Heh, I'll take that as a yes. Next set of questions!" While it was fun to embarrass Vaati, anger was the goal right now. "What are you going to do with your magic? If you're the only person with magic, you could become a pretty powerful person. But you know how the saying goes - power corrupts. How are you going to prevent yourself from becoming like the Vaati from myth?"

"I'm not going to try to take over the world, if that's what you're asking."

"What about using it to get your way? With wind magic, you could easily push everyone out of your way. You could send annoying people flying out of your sight. And no one could stop you."

"I don't do anything like that now, so why would it be different when I have magic?"

"I dunno, you get annoyed pretty easily. You pretend to be calm, but... All it takes is a little push sometimes."

Vaati shook his head roughly. Link could see he was gradually losing his control over his anger. "I absolutely _will not_ turn into an evil sorcerer."

"Everyone has some evil in them. And I gotta say, Vaati, you aren't exactly the righteous, hero-type."

Something finally snapped, and Vaati snatched Link by the front of the shirt, eye starting to glow and wind picking up around them. "Not everyone is like you, Link. Everyone gets along with you, so it's easy to have a good attitude. But when I've grown up and everybody fears and hates me because of some stupid _story_ , it's only natural to feel bitter. What is going to stop me from becoming like the other Vaati, you ask? If people wouldn't treat me like a _freak."_

It hurt to say more, but Link replied, "Red, glowing eyes look pretty freakish to me."

Vaati pushed her away like he wanted to throw her to the ground, but she grabbed his hand and jabbed a finger at his chest. "Alright, where's the magic coming from? Your center? Your head? Keep it flowing!" she pressed when his glare faltered. "Focus on the feeling of the magic. Keep it going as long as possible, and just memorize the feel of how it starts and flows and then ends."

She could see the anger fade from his eyes, replaced with an intense focus. His hair was blowing around and she caught glimpses of fallen leaves flying into the air. The glow in his eyes was mildly unnerving, but she felt that, just like last time, Vaati looked incredibly hard-core. They both stood still as the magic continued to flow out of Vaati; the violet-haired man had closed his eyes now as he concentrated. Gradually, after a minute or two, the wind died down.

Link pat Vaati on the head. "You kept that up longer than I expected!"

"What am I, your dog? Don't pet me," Vaati muttered, stepping away from his roommate. He sighed. "I was able to get a good feel of the way the magic flowed. I still don't know how it unlocks or what locks it away again."

"We'll figure that out next time. For now, I'd say this was a stellar success!" Link held up a hand for a high-five, but Vaati just frowned at her.

"You can be really harsh when you try. Wouldn't have guessed."

Link lowered her hand and chuckled nervously. Looked like he was still upset over the things she'd said. "Sorry. I mean, I had to make you angry, but I didn't actually mean most of those things. If I really thought you'd just turn into a monster, I wouldn't be helping you out, would I?" She held out her hand, smiling gently. "We're allies, remember?"

Vaati ignored the offered handshake, turning away and surveying the park. All of the leaves in a five-foot radius had been blown away, but otherwise, there were no traces of what had just happened. He nodded as though satisfied. "This wasn't a complete waste of time."

Heaving a sigh, Link lightly punched her roommate in the back, then draped her arm over his shoulder. "Very productive day!" she agreed, ignoring Vaati's attempts to get away from her. "I guess we have to figure out a different tactic for next time, though. It's exhausting, trying to make you angry."

"It's exhausting for _you?"_ Vaati scoffed. "You do it all the time, can't be that hard."

"Annoying and embarrassing you is different than making you angry. One is harmless, one is not." Link paused, still leaning on Vaati's shoulder. Then she tilted her head to better look at him - which was difficult because he kept trying to pull away. "Oh, and I definitely didn't mean it when I said you were freakish."

Vaati avoided her earnest gaze. "I'm not sure what else it would have looked like."

"I thought you looked really cool. Seriously."

To her surprise, his cheeks grew pink and he pushed her arm off of his shoulder. "Stop saying ridiculous things," he muttered.

Link opened her mouth, then shut it. Something told her that it was a bad idea to tease him about being embarrassed when she wasn't even trying to flirt or anything. His reaction intrigued her, however, and she mulled it over as they walked back to the dorms. Maybe he was just secretly pleased with her praise but didn't want to show it.

"Oh, hey, Vaati," she said after a while. "You might want to work on controlling your anger. You don't want Tiv using that against you."

"I know."

Link pat him on the back. "Good, my young pupil. You do well to heed my sayings."

Vaati only gave her an unamused glare, and Link returned her usual smile. Yes, a very productive day, if she did say so herself.

* * *

Friday, 10:53m

Nohansen Library

Status: On a study date with Zelda

Okay, so it wasn't actually a date; that was just what Mikau always said (he was one of her Farore dorm buddies, a Zora with some pretty impressive tattoos and insane guitar skills). He wasn't the only one that liked to tease her. Quill, Talo, and Pipit (her other dorm buddies) liked to get in on the fun as well. After all, in many of the legends, Link and Zelda eventually got married, so it was only natural to assume that this particular Link and Zelda were in a romantic relationship.

It was really awkward, trying to convince them that no, Link wasn't interested in Zelda that way, and no, she was pretty sure Zelda didn't feel that way, either. Then she had to convince them that no, it wasn't because she was interested in guys (the way Vaati always stared at her when she said that gave her an uncomfortable feeling, like he somehow knew she was lying), and in fact, she had a girl in Kakariko that she liked (to which Vaati _definitely_ looked like he didn't believe her).

Link was pondering over the best strategy to keep the guys from suspecting her of anything unusual, not really focusing on her math book or Zelda sitting across from her. She startled a little when she felt a tapping on her arm.

"Is something wrong?" Zelda queried, pulling back her hand. "You're rather quiet."

"I just got stuck on one of the problems," Link fibbed. She pointed at a random one in the book. "I mostly get it, but I like to fully understand it before going to the next question. How far have you gotten?" Zelda put her finger on a spot about a page ahead of where Link was. "Pretty good!" Link whistled. "Do you have a knack for math or something?"

The blonde girl shook her head, smoothing the pages of her book with one hand. "I had a lot of private tutoring growing up, so you could say that I was given a head start."

The two students briefly chatted, then returned to studying. Link only gave the homework half of her attention; the other half was used for watching the library. She never knew when someone might be watching or listening in on what she was doing. Strangely enough, she'd never been able to pin down whether she had a Yiga agent following her or not. Still, it never hurt to be careful. It's been made very clear that she was an inconvenience for the Yiga, and the Yiga were usually quick to get rid of such people.

Zelda cleared her throat loudly, making Link glance up, to see her pushing a small folded piece of paper across the table. She kept her eyes on her book, however, not looking at Link. Curious, Link picked up the paper. Was it one of those love notes - "do you like me? _yes _no"? She quickly threw the idea away; Zelda wasn't the type to do that.

With only one way to find out, Link opened up the note.

 _Are you a Sheikah spy?_

All Link could do was stare in mute shock at the piece of paper Zelda had handed to her, reading the cursive handwriting over and over again.

This was entirely unexpected; she was completely unprepared for such an occurrence. She wracked her brain - how had Zelda of all people found out? Did Link slip up somewhere? If Zelda knew, did Tiv know as well? Had they found out about her gender, too? What about Vaati - did he suspect her? But he hadn't been acting strange lately, and -

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you like that." Zelda's gentle whisper broke through Link's panicked thoughts. "I don't believe anyone else knows, so please don't worry."

Stiffly, Link shook her head. She still couldn't get any words out. The shock was slowing her thought process. She tried to remember her training and what she was supposed to do if her identity was at risk of being exposed. She'd already failed to deny it; her stunned silence was probably enough to confirm Zelda's suspicions. If it was an enemy, the procedure was to silence them if possible. Zelda, however, would be considered a friendly, in which case Link needed to recruit her as an ally that would keep her identity a secret.

When she thought about it, though, it actually wasn't a disaster if Zelda knew; it was better that it was Zelda, rather than anyone else. Because she was of the royal line, she had likely been brought up learning the ins and outs of government work, and she should know how to keep secrets. She also might be more willing to trust and help Link if that she knew the Sheikah agent was there to watch over her.

"Wanna find somewhere else to study?" Link suggested, folding up the note and looking at Zelda meaningfully. "With fewer people. I can't really concentrate."

Zelda understood what she was getting at and nodded. She closed her book and slid it into her bag, gathering up her pencils as well. Link carelessly tossed her things into her backpack, not concerned at the moment whether pages got folded or pencils broken. When she was ready, she tilted her head toward the door, and the two left the library.

* * *

Link took Zelda to her dorm room; she knew Vaati was out working on a group assignment today, so there was little chance of them being interrupted or overheard in any way. Just to be safe, Link locked the door and pulled a chair up under the doorknob. Then she gestured for Zelda to sit.

"So, first things first - what we're about to discuss is top secret. I need you to pinky-promise me that you won't tell anyone." Link stuck out her hand, pinky extended. When Zelda tentatively reached out, Link added, "This could literally be a matter of life or death at some point. Just a fair warning."

Zelda nodded and linked her pinky with the Sheikah agent's. "So you really are a spy?" Strangely, she smiled when Link nodded, a relieved expression that the blonde didn't understand. "I've been meaning to ask since the first time we met. My father told me that someone was being sent here to watch over me; I probably wouldn't have ever suspected you otherwise. And it's actually a relief for me... It's often hard for me to know who I can trust."

Link scratched her head. So that's what Zelda's question had been, what now seemed like so long ago. She sighed. "How did you find out for sure? Did I slip up somewhere?"

"No, you've never given anything away, not that I've seen. I first noticed for a different reason..." Zelda was quiet for a moment, then chuckled self-consciously. "You have an aura I've never felt from anyone else. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it feels somehow familiar. You just seemed different from everyone else, and so I thought you might be the agent my dad mentioned. But that wasn't really enough evidence for me to ask you about it. Earlier this week, however, Vaati told me about how you got your concussion - about how that girl Tiv seems to be targeting you. I couldn't find any other explanation than that you really are a Sheikah spy. I didn't tell Vaati my suspicions, of course."

"Wait, Vaati told you what happened?" Link couldn't imagine her roommate just sharing that information with anyone; for him to tell Zelda was even more surprising.

Zelda nodded once. "He thought I might know something about why you were attacked. I may be wrong, but he seemed concerned for you."

"Heh, he probably just wanted to know the best way to avoid getting tangled up in the messes I make," Link joked lightly. She gazed at Zelda with a small smile, but her eyes were serious. "Alright, so it doesn't sound like anyone else would know. I'm curious about that aura thing you mentioned, though."

"It's an ability that is unique to the royal line. I can sense the auras and magic of individuals."

Link had never heard of such an ability. It seemed akin to a form of magic. "You said you can sense magic..." mumbled Link as her thoughts formed around her next question. Zelda bowed her head in the affirmative. "So do you sense any from Vaati?"

Her friend's gaze dropped, as it always did when she was uncomfortable. "Yes..."

"What's it like?"

"It's... chaotic. I've never sensed so much magic inside one person. It's as though it's building up, never able to release. I worry that it might just suddenly explode one day..."

That confirmed Link's hypothesis from the day before. Somehow, Vaati's magic really was blocked from getting out.

"Is he... your target?" Zelda asked timidly.

Link shook her head and rested her head on one hand. "No. I'm kinda watching over him, too."

"I thought so... You are always trying to defend and help him; you seem to like him too much for him to be your target."

The way Zelda awkwardly looked away made Link quickly hold up her hands in a defensive gesture, shaking her head. Why did so many people get that impression? Well, actually, she did know why... "That's - I just honestly think he can be a good person. I really believe he's not like the evil Vaati from myths, and I want to help make sure he doesn't become like that. That's part of my mission."

"Are you not allowed to like anyone?" Zelda queried gently. Her blue eyes were watching Link's face carefully. She appeared a little bashful to be talking about a relationship between two guys, but apparently her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"I can't let personal matters interfere with my mission. So, basically, yeah. If I were just a normal student, I'd want to be real friends with him..." Link laughed to ease the tension from the topic. "Such is my life! Next to zero friends and never dated a single person! But I'm used to it, don't worry!"

She smiled and stood. "Do you have any more questions?"

Shaking her head, Zelda also stood, clutching the strap of her bag. "Thank you for confiding in me, Link."

"Don't think you get in for free!" Link wagged a finger like she was chiding a small child. "I might need intel sometimes, or maybe need to borrow that sensing ability of yours. Are you okay with that?"

That got a small giggle from Zelda - probably one of the first true laughs Link had heard from her. A load had clearly been lifted from the girl's shoulders. "I would be glad to help you however I can." She offered Link her hand, and they shook hands. "Again, thank you."

It was unusual to be thanked like this. Link thought back to the other time she had revealed her identity to others; most of the time they were Yiga agents and instantly hated her guts, if they didn't already, while others had expressed various forms of anger, disappointment, or distrust. To Zelda, however, knowing Link was a Sheikah seemed to give her a sense of relief and safety. It made Link wonder how Vaati would react...

She shook her head and said her farewells to Zelda as the girl left the room. She knew perfectly well how he'd respond: the little trust they had built between themselves would be shattered, all of his anger would be focused on her, and he would never believe another word she said. Link rubbed the back of her head. It was just depressing to think about. The Sheikah had absolutely zero intention of revealing anything to Vaati, so as long as she remained diligent, she would never have to face Vaati like that. The thought of lying to him until the day she finally vanished wasn't a pleasant one, either, but it would spare him from too much pain.

"Such is my life..." Link murmured to the empty room.


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: Hanging in there? The holiday season is basically upon us! Such a busy time of year... I've been doing a lot of work on my main writing project, The Sky View, so The Best Lies was on hold for a bit. Thanks for your patience!

Okyaku-san: it's pretty much inevitable that everyone's going to get the wrong impression at this point lol. Link might just have to roll with it. Or maybe not. We'll have to see!

Hello to my new followers, SilencexIsxBest and Darkest Villain!

* * *

Chapter 15

 _Week Eleven, Tuesday 1:00am  
_ _Link and Vaati's room_

Link awoke to a completely silent, dark room. She blinked several times, wondering what had caused her to wake up so suddenly. The clock on her desk told her it was one in the morning. Sighing, she rolled onto her stomach and buried her face in her pillow. It was never fun when her sleep was interrupted, and even more annoying when there was no reason to wake up.

But then she heard something - mumbling? Link lifted up her head so she could hear more clearly. There it was again; low murmurs and incoherent mumbles, strained in tone. Slowly she sat up and slid out from under her blankets, creeping silently across the room towards the source of the sounds.

It was Vaati, talking in his sleep, his blankets pushed away from him even though the room was chilly. Link knelt by his bed, listening curiously.

"Get me out... get me out..." Vaati repeated the same phrase several times. "I won't vanish... I refuse to lose to..." He made a frustrated growl and rolled over.

A nightmare, Link assumed. Part of her wanted to wake Vaati up, but another part told her that this was a rare opportunity to do some prying. She'd heard that people who talked in their sleep would sometimes reply if you spoke to them. There was a high probability that Vaati's nightmare held no significant meaning even if he did talk back to her, but it didn't hurt to try.

"I will get out..." Vaati mumbled.

"What are you trying to escape from?" Link quietly murmured, inching closer.

Vaati stiffened, and she feared that she'd broken the dream. He spoke a moment later, however. "Nothing... There's nothing. Get me out..."

She wasn't really sure if that was a reply to her question. "...You're trapped in nothing?"

"No light... nothing... can't even sense myself... out, must get out..."

Link watched his face, illuminated by the little light that came through the gaps in the window curtains. His eyebrows were drawn together, a constant grimace tugging at his mouth. He kept mumbling the same kinds of things - about how he was trapped, how he had to get out, how he refused to vanish. The mumblings became faster, more panicked, and Vaati dug his fingers into his sheets, balling the fabric in his hands while his expression descended into fear. Concerned, Link reached out a hand to shake him awake.

"Link... why..."

Her hand froze mere inches from his shoulder. No way - she was in his dream? Normally that would be prime teasing material, but the way Vaati said her name was so confused and frustrated that it worried her. Sighing, she lowered her hand onto Vaati's clammy hand. He instantly gripped her fingers in a painful deathlock but didn't wake.

"Well, whatever you're dreaming about," Link murmured softly, "you'll get out. You're too stubborn to lose to anything."

Vaati's grip gradually loosened and he looked calmer, though not completely at peace. Link carefully pulled her hand away and stood, her legs complaining after crouching for so long. She was just going to hop back into her bed, but an idea tugged at her. "Where'd he put it..." Pulling out one of his desk drawers, she grinned. "Aw, he didn't throw it away," Link giggled, grabbing the stuffed bat hidden nearby the top drawer. It was basically a big ball with little wings stuck on the sides and an embroidered face that was supposed to be threatening but was too cute to actually be scary. She carefully wiggled the bat under Vaati's hand.

Snickering quietly, Link crept back to her bed. As she was situating herself under her blankets, she felt a buzzing from under her pillow. She frowned; her phone, which she kept underneath her pillow at night, was supposed to be on silent. Curious, she slid the smartphone out and checked the screen.

 _Impa: Your grandmother is seriously ill. Come to the Eastern Abbey as soon as possible._

Link pondered over the message, sent so early in the morning. She had no grandmother, but that wasn't what struck her as curious; it was a code phrase, telling her to go to a certain location immediately - in this case, the Eastern Abbey. It was the location that seemed strange. The Eastern Abbey was an historical building maintained by priests and nuns, a sort of museum but also an active place of study and worship. Link couldn't come up with any ideas as to why Impa wanted her there all of a sudden.

Well, orders were orders. After a quick check to see when the next train left, Link hid her phone away and closed her eyes. No trains were operating until about 4:30, so she had a whole three hours to sleep. Maybe she'd sleep some on the train ride, too. Yeah, she'd definitely sleep on the train ride.

* * *

 _6:00am  
_ _Eastern Abbey_

"Zelda? What are you doing here?" Link stopped abruptly in the Abbey doorway, nearly causing Impa to run into her from behind.

Zelda appeared equally surprised to see her classmate; she stared at Link with wide eyes for several moments before answering. "I... I'm not actually sure," she replied, looking around uncomfortably. "I received a message from my father saying that I was urgently needed here, but... I haven't seen him at all."

Impa stepped around Link, bowing her head respectfully to Zelda. "I must apologize for summoning you here in that manner. I had Mr. Nohansen send that message, as it seemed the best way to ensure you would come. You are needed, as is Link, to help with an investigation. Come, we'll discuss the details in a better location." She glanced around at the visitors and nuns milling about in the Abbey foyer.

The two students followed the tall woman to the Abbey library, then down a flight of stairs marked "No Public Access Beyond This Point". As they walked, Link briefly explained to Zelda how Impa was both her adoptive mother and Sheikah superior. Impa was the one she reported to, so she knew that Link's situation was known by Zelda. The girl's earlier anxiety seemed to fade as Link spoke and she looked around curiously at the old architecture around them, eyes bright. Link kept an eye out as well, hoping to find any clues as to what they were here for.

The stairs took them to the library archives; Impa led them through that and on to a hallway to what looked like one of the priests' offices. She pulled back a tall bookshelf to reveal another staircase. As they descended, Link felt goosebumps ripple across her arms, the underground air chilly and damp. Hushed voices echoed up from below.

The voices turned out to be a small group of priests and Sheikah agents. They were standing in front of a large, ancient stone mural, the engravings covered in moss and difficult to decipher. In the center, the engravings depicted an arched door, but it had crumpled to a pile of rocks, leaving a gaping hole. It was this that the priests and Sheikah looked at anxiously as they whispered.

"What is this place?" Link murmured to Impa.

"I will let Father Gaepora explain. He will make it clear as to why you are here."

Impa approached one of the priests, bowing her head and whispering a few quick words. He nodded and turned to Link and Zelda, eyes grave. "I thank you for coming," he said, voice low. "This -" he gestured to the mural "- is - or rather, _was_ the sealed entrance to the Four Sword Sanctuary. It has always been the duty of the Abbey to protect the Sanctuary, keeping it a secret and warding off those who would enter. It has been many centuries since it was sealed, with the intention that it remain sealed for all time. However, as you can see..."

Link glanced once at Impa. So this was why she had been summoned here. The Four Sword Sanctuary, the legendary resting place where Vaati the Wind Mage was sealed away within the sword. Yet another story that proved to be true. Zelda stared at the broken mural, understanding lighting in her blue eyes as well.

"Is the sword still there...?" Zelda timidly asked.

Father Gaepora nodded once. "It appears to be untouched, but we are not certain. Impa told me you may be able to sense whether or not the seal was broken, Miss Nohansen."

"Ah, I..." She cast a flustered look at Link, who tried to give a reassuring smile. "I can try my best."

The group stepped over the pile of stones and through to the room beyond the mural. Father Gaepora shone a flashlight into the darkness, casting it about as they walked. Link caught glimpses of a high ceiling and more murals on the walls. Something glinted in the darkness, flashing back the light. Father Gaepora fixed the beam on a simple stone pedestal and the ancient sword set deep inside it. Rust was creeping over its edges and moss grew both on the hilt and the pedestal. Still, the jewel within its hilt sparkled brightly in the light.

"That's... the Four Sword?" Link breathed, feeling as though she shouldn't speak. Her chest felt tight just looking at it. It was one thing to see a Korok or to see magic, but to see one of the legendary blades - no matter how eroded - that had saved Hyrule... It made something within her stir excitedly, almost painfully.

At Father Gaepora's gesture, Zelda approached the Four Sword, her steps slow and timid. "Don't touch the sword," he warned.

She nodded and stared at it for a long time, then held out a hand close to the hilt, closing her eyes. Gradually a frown creased her forehead. "I-I may be wrong, but..." She cast a confused look back at the others. "It feels as though there hasn't been any magic within the sword for a long time... I can only sense traces left behind."

"A long time?" Impa queried. "Can you be more specific?"

"I would say years, at least. A couple decades? I'm sorry, I'm not exactly sure, but all I know is that the seal and whatever was sealed within the sword are both gone by now."

Impa and Father Gaepora looked at each other, the priest seeming perplexed while Impa kept a neutral expression. Link spoke up. "When was the Sanctuary broken into?"

"Last night," said Father Gaepora gravely.

"Do you know who did it and how?"

"No. No one saw anyone; there was only what seemed like a small earthquake in the middle of the night. We checked the Sanctuary to make sure it hadn't been affected, and found this."

"According to our investigation," Impa supplied, "there were no explosives used."

Zelda raised her hand slightly. "I sensed leftover traces of magic at the entrance..."

The four stood in perplexed silence, staring solemnly at the Four Sword. Someone had broken in (or out?) of the Sanctuary last night, but the seal had already faded years before now. If the Wind Mage had escaped either one of those times, everyone would know by now. He had a tendency to attack Hyrule's leaders, after all. Not exactly a subtle person.

"Zelda, exactly what kinds of magic do you sense from the sword and from the broken mural? Are they the same? Familiar at all?" Link queried.

"They are different kinds. But the one from the sword..." She held her hand out towards it once again. "The magic of the Wind Mage is familiar. It... it's the same as Vaati's..."

"Vaati Enlil's...?"

Zelda nodded seriously. Link took in a sharp breath and turned to Impa, catching her sharp red eyes. No one dared to say it aloud, but Link could read it in her companions' faces: was Vaati Enlil actually the Wind Mage?

"This merits further investigation," Impa stated. She bowed to Father Gaepora. "We thank you for your help. The Sheikah will continue the search for whoever broke into this Sanctuary."

Father Gaepora replied with a shake of his head. "To think we were guarding an empty sword all this time..."

Link, Impa, and Zelda departed from the underground sanctuary, climbing the stairs in silence. Once in the priests' office, Impa stopped to close the secret door, then fixed her gaze on the two young girls. "Both of you, tell me your honest thoughts on the situation."

Knowing Zelda wouldn't speak first, Link sighed and said in a calm tone, "Looks like someone wanted to release the Wind Mage, but they were too late. I would say that he faded away, except Zelda says Vaati's magic is the same as the Wind Mage's. What that means, I'm not sure..."

"There is reincarnation," Zelda murmured timidly. "But that I know of, it has only ever applied to the Goddess-Princess, the Hero, and the Spirit of Demise. The Wind Mage was never reincarnated; he was simply released from the Four Sword and then resealed. He was always the same being. If the seal faded, he should have been released..."

The Sheikah listened without any change in expression, arms crossed. When Zelda grew quiet, she nodded, braid swinging. "I would like to ask the two of you to officially investigate Vaati Enlil."

"In addition to the Yiga?" Link frowned.

"Yes. They may not be unrelated. You are familiar with the ancient foundation of the Yiga, aren't you?"

Calling up the stories, Link murmured softly, "They wanted to revive Ganon..."

"And Ganon and the Wind Mage once worked together," Zelda added, eyes growing wide. "Y-you think that they are trying to resurrect Ganon?!"

Link's eyes narrowed. "Using Vaati's power..."

"It is not impossible. It may very well be the reason that the girl going by Tiv was interested in helping Enlil. However, we have no conclusive evidence. Zelda, you are not one of my agents, so you are free to decline, but your help would be appreciated."

Zelda bowed her head deeply, not looking up as she responded, "I'm honored to be asked by the head of the Sheikah herself. Of course I will help." She flashed a small smile in Link's direction. "I was already helping Link investigate Vaati in a way, anyways."

"Thank you. And thank you for coming at such short notice. You may return to the Academy now, both of you."

Impa walked with the two of them out to the Abbey entrance. At the steps, Zelda and Link waved goodbye and started off, but then Impa called out, "Link, I forgot to mention something."

Link paused, motioning for Zelda to keep going ahead. "Forgot something?" she replied. No, Impa didn't forget things. Most likely, it was something she had been debating telling Link or not. Which meant it was probably serious.

"No, never mind. You have enough to do as is." With that statement, the tall Sheikah turned crisply and strode back into the Abbey, leaving Link with a distinctly unsettled feeling.

* * *

 _8:49am  
_ _Farore Dorms, Link and Vaati's room_

The bed creaked in protest as Link threw herself down onto the mattress, letting out a long breath into her pillow. Thankfully Vaati wasn't present; probably he'd gone to get breakfast. Link was a bit too tired to deal with any questions he might have, especially considering the kind of things she'd learned that morning.

 _Vaati... is the Wind Mage?_

Those words, although unspoken, had sent a tremor through Link's heart, which she had quickly pushed down. It was too soon to jump to conclusions. Even Impa had said as much. What Link needed to focus on now was observing and evaluating Vaati until she could be certain one way or another.

There certainly was a lot of evidence pointing to the possibility. His magic was the most obvious one - first, the fact that he could wield magic at all; second, that his magic was the wind type; and third, that his magic signature matched the one from within the Four Sword. Zelda had estimated that the seal on the sword had broken in recent decades; Vaati Enlil was 19, nearly two decades old, matching the time that Zelda had said. Finally, even his name was suspicious - no one named their child Vaati, and yet here was a young man with the name of the Wind Mage.

Even with all this, Link felt that something was missing. Supposing that he _was_ the Wind Mage, why would he be studying at the Royal Academy? Why would his magic be blocked? And why would Vaati pretend to have such a vehement hate towards the Wind Mage, always declaring that he'd be nothing like him? It wasn't the Wind Mage's style to have such an elaborate cover - or any cover at all, for that matter.

Link pulled out her phone and opened up her messages. The screen popped up with her conversation with Vaati.

 _Link, 5:04am: My grandmother is really ill, so I had to leave this morning to see her. Not sure when I'll be back!_

 _Porcupine, 7:28am: why'd you stick the stupid bat in my bed?_

 _Link, 7:29am: so you wouldn't be lonely, of course! Thanks for keeping it btw :)_

 _Porcupine, 7:32am: I'm not keeping it, I just haven't decided what to do with it yet._

She turned off the screen, shifting so she could see Vaati's bed on the other side of the room. Sure, he was a prickly porcupine, but Vaati seemed like any other normal Hylian, not a power-hungry wind-monster. Well, okay - she had to admit to herself that he wasn't _completely_ normal. But close enough.

Just how exactly was he related to the Wind Mage?

Rolling off the bed to the floor, Link reached under the bed frame to pull out her toolkit, as she liked to call it. Various spy tools and files were neatly organized inside it. She grabbed one of the folders and flipped it open.

 _Vaati Enlil  
_ _Age: 19  
_ _Date of birth: October 8  
_ _Place of birth: Unknown  
_ _Mother: Unknown  
_ _Father: Unknown  
_ _Relatives: Unknown  
_ _Current residence: Hyrule Royal Academy for Higher Learning, Farore Dorms, Room 29  
_ _Current occupation: Student  
_ _Notes: Entered the Academy on a scholarship; previously was supported by _ Orphanage. Had several foster parents but was never adopted._

Link scanned over the profile quickly, having read it several times before. There were so many unknowns listed there, rather like her own. She knew how easy it was to forge documents, if you had the right tools, but she also knew that enough digging would eventually reveal inconsistencies. However, according to Impa, Vaati's documented history was completely legitimate. He'd been abandoned as a baby and taken in by the local orphanage, raised there and fostered by several parents yet never adopted, excelling at school and earning a full scholarship to the Royal Academy. Such a history, while unfortunate in some parts, was completely normal; he hadn't suddenly appeared as a full-grown man, not like the Wind Mage always did.

Well, she wasn't going to learn anything from looking over these documents again. She shoved the box back under her bed and stood, stretching out her arms. Time to do some investigating of the person himself.

* * *

 _10:00am  
_ _Rhoam Study Hall_

"Hey, you're Vaati, aren't you?"

The violet-haired student looked up from his book, squinting at the girl who had randomly come up to his table and addressed him. "Yeah," he answered shortly. "Who are you?"

She adjusted her glasses and brushed back a lock of red hair, smiling broadly at him. "My name's Marin. I'm a classmate of Link's." She could tell by the way Vaati stared at her that he was thinking, " _So? What the heck do you want?_ " With a small giggle, the redhead sat in the chair opposite of him. Oh, how easy it was to trick Vaati, just by throwing on glasses and a wig and changing her gender. Link had considered wearing contacts to change her eye color as well, but it looked like Vaati would be none the wiser either way. "You _are_ prickly. But Link says you're nice underneath."

"What kind of nonsense is that guy spouting behind my back?" Vaati grumbled.

"All good things!" 'Marin' reassured him. Then she cast a quick glance around before leaning forward. "Though he could do a better job at keeping secrets..." His red eyes narrowed slightly in response and he set his book down. Satisfied that she had his full attention, Link continued, "I heard you can use magic."

Vaati's fingers curled into a fist, his narrowed eyes turning into a full-on angry glare. For several moments he said nothing. Then, "What, do you want it, too?"

His anger dissipated into frustrated confusion when 'Marin' burst out into quiet laughter. "Sorry, that was a lie, actually! Link never said anything about it. I saw you guys out in Saria Park, in the center of a crazy whirlwind. Hmm, I guess you could say I just wanted to tell you to be more careful."

"I don't need you to tell me that," was the muttered response.

"We-ell... if you don't mind more rumors spreading, then sure. But I've heard you're pretty touchy about being compared to the Wind Mage. I even heard one rumor that says you _are_ the Wind Mage. Link almost punched someone for saying that." Never thought she'd eventually be wondering if that same rumor was true. Link kept her eyes on Vaati's face, tracking his expressions. She could see the anger bubbling in his red eyes, but he kept quiet. "There's an even more important rumor, though," she continued in a low voice. "I heard that the Four Sword was discovered. But the seal was already gone."

Vaati's eyes flew wide open. "Where?!" he demanded. "Where did they find the Four Sword?"

But 'Marin' shook her head. "I'm not sure. That's not the biggest thing, though. You know what the problem is, right?"

He dropped his gaze, and it was several moments before Vaati looked up at her again, murmuring, "If the seal is broken, then the Wind Mage would be released." He frowned. "But we would know about that right away. He always attacks right after he's released." Blinking several times, Vaati scowled and leaned back. "It's just a baseless rumor, then. What're you trying to do, anyways? Blackmail me or something? I don't work that way."

"Heh, no, I'm just trying to help a friend," Link laughed. "Link is always defending you when people talk about you being like the Wind Mage. You're not really helping, though, practicing magic out in the open and all that. If you want to help Link out - and yourself - be more careful. And maybe find out where the _real_ Wind Mage is. That'll prove everyone wrong."

'Marin' stood up, bowing her head slightly. "Well, it was nice to meet you! Let's talk again sometime!" And with that, she trotted out of the study hall.

If all went as planned, Vaati would soon be doing her work for her. Link hummed to herself as she walked. The conversation was a little strange for her - talking about herself as though she were a different person - but Vaati didn't seem suspicious of her. He'd been very interested in the Four Sword, which was exactly what Link wanted. If he started investigating the Four Sword, the faded seal, and the missing Wind Mage, he may come across the answers that Link herself was looking for. She just wondered what they might find.


	17. Chapter 16

A/N: I must apologize, this chapter is much shorter but oh man, things just happened and - and I hope it gets you as excited as I am right now XD

* * *

Chapter 16

 _Week eleven, Friday 2:19pm_

 _Nohansen Library_

"I could be taking a nap right now... Or playing video games... Maybe eating a snack..."

Vaati pulled a book from the shelf and used it to whack Link on the top of the head. "Quit complaining," he said, ignoring his roommate's offended exclamations and reshelving the book. "You're the one that agreed to help me."

"Yeah, but I thought it'd be something more exciting than looking through a bunch of books." Link stared sullenly at the stack of books in his hands, various titles on topics like 'myths of Hyrule', 'Hyrule castle through the years', 'swords of myth', and 'sacred places of Hyrule'. "When you said 'we're going to look for the Four Sword Sanctuary', I thought you meant, like, actually _going_ somewhere."

"I have to research the most likely places it could be before I go looking for it." Vaati added another book to Link's stack. Then he sighed. "We'll start with these."

The blond Hylian stared at the books, then up at Vaati. "We have to read through all of them...?"

He only got a nod in reply before Vaati was already walking back to their table. It wasn't like Link ever used his weekends to study, and Vaati had already finished his week's homework, so he didn't know what there was to complain about. He grabbed his notebook and started writing out a few preliminary notes.

Link deposited the books on the table and flopped into his seat. Halfheartedly he flipped through a book on Hyrule Castle. "So, why the sudden interest in the Four Sword Sanctuary?" he queried. "Does it have to do with your magic or something?"

Vaati paused, considering whether or not to tell Link about the rumor. But he quickly remembered how stubborn Link was about defending Vaati's position; it wasn't like he'd suddenly start suspecting that Vaati was the Wind Mage. At least, that was what he wanted to believe. He still wasn't used to Link's blind trust.

"I heard that the Four Sword was discovered, but the seal was gone," he stated simply.

"Seriously?!" Link gasped. "But wouldn't that mean-?" He didn't finish his sentence, for once wise enough to leave certain things unsaid.

Vaati pulled the castle book away from Link. "That's what I plan to find out."

His roommate finally quit talking after that, and they spent several hours looking through the books, Vaati taking careful notes, Link somewhat diligently scanning the pages and fetching more books. There weren't a lot of scholarly sources referencing the Sanctuary; most information was found in mythical accounts. Vaati noted it all down anyways.

He took a deep breath and set down his pencil to take a short break, glancing at his watch. Already after six. Four hours; he hadn't expected Link to last that long. Vaati glanced over at his friend, only to find that Link was no longer reading but was in fact napping with his head on an open book.

"For the love of..." Vaati muttered, shaking his head. Not that he'd expected Link to be of much help, he reminded himself. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered having Link help him out; hadn't he once declared that he could figure things out with his own power? But apparently that was something that came with being 'friends' - helping each other and encouraging each other, even if it wasn't exactly all that helpful. Or so Link always told him. Vaati had given up on ever fully understanding it.

He jabbed Link in the side with his pencil, causing the blond to startle awake, eyes darting around before blinking at Vaati. "Uh, I fell asleep...?"

"What do you do at night instead of sleeping?" Vaati asked flatly.

Link's eyes slowly drifted away and he smirked slightly. "Oh, you know, run reconnaissance, hook up with girls, help a certain someone with nightmares... things like that." He looked pointedly at Vaati on that last one. "You talk in your sleep, did you know?"

An unfamiliar sensation made Vaati's stomach squirm slightly, and he looked away for a moment. So he talked in his sleep when he had that nightmare? It had been coming to him more often lately, almost every other night, always the same sequence of nothingness, seeing Link, and then the return to nothingness. Just thinking of it made his palms sweat.

"What kind of nightmare is it?" Link queried, smile gone and eyes fixed on Vaati's face. "And why am I in it?"

"Who said you were in it?!" Vaati snapped, unreasonably annoyed but unable to filter it.

"Uh, you did. Like I said, you talk in your sleep."

Rather than answer, Vaati stood and gathered up his notebook, pencil, and a few of the books he hadn't gotten to yet, packing them into his backpack. "I'm going to get dinner." He slung his backpack over one shoulder and marched out of the library. Link trotted after him, but he ignored him.

Like he would tell anyone about his nightmare. Link would just tease him about beyond afraid of the dark or some such thing, not to mention what he might think about Vaati seeing a child version of Link. It was only a nightmare. Vaati didn't believe in the meanings of dreams. It was strange that he'd dreamed of Link before they had ever met, but it could only be explained as a strange coincidence. It didn't have anything to do with his quest for magic or the Four Sword, so he wouldn't bother trying to figure out the meaning behind it.

Link kept pace behind Vaati all the way to the cafeteria, humming random tunes. That guy seemed unable to stay silent for more than five minutes. As they passed through the cafeteria doors, he suddenly called out, "Zelda!"

Vaati turned his head to see the blonde girl sitting at one of the tables, looking slightly startled but quickly smiling when she saw who was calling out to her. "I'm gonna eat with Zelda," Link told Vaati quickly. "Catch ya later!" He ran past him, greeting Zelda happily.

For one moment Vaati watched the two of them. Zelda's smile was more relaxed than he had ever seen it; even Vaati could tell how close the two had become.

 _"Hey, I saw Link and Zelda getting off a train together on Tuesday."_

Vaati snapped his gaze away and marched off towards the cafeteria kitchen. So what? Even if Tiv told him something like that, as she had on Wednesday, whispering it in his ear during class, it wasn't like he would care whether Link and Zelda were in some sort of relationship.

" _Oh, he said he was visiting his grandmother? But it was a 'false alarm'? I have to wonder about that...!"_

It wasn't any of his business. He'd told Tiv as much. So he did his best to ignore the growing sense of irritation that was causing him to scowl subconsciously. Vaati grabbed a few things to eat and then found a table far away from Link and Zelda.

What he needed to focus on was the Four Sword. He was wary to trust a rumor, but that girl Marin had a point: finding the sword and the Wind Mage was probably the best thing he could do for himself. Not only could he prove all those idiots wrong, he may just find more clues to unlocking his magic.

" _I even heard one rumor that says you_ are _the Wind Mage. Link almost punched someone for saying that."_

He would be lying if he said he'd never wondered about the possibility before; maybe he was the reincarnated Wind Mage, abandoned at birth to live out a miserable life as a second punishment for his past life's evil deeds. The first time someone at the orphanage had accused him of that, he had sent them flying with a blast of wind - only driving the belief down further. Coming to the Academy, Vaati thought he had escaped from those rumors. Now it looked like things were going to repeat themselves, with Link caught up in it.

Admittedly, he felt a bit pleased to hear that Link had almost punched someone for it. So even that happy-go-lucky guy got angry sometimes.

Vaati scowled. Why was he thinking about Link again? He scarfed down the rest of his food and got out of the cafeteria as fast as he could.

As he was walking, his phone vibrated.

 _Link: are you going back to the library?_

He was about to reply 'yes', but stopped. Link would probably follow him back, a scenario Vaati was less than enthusiastic about at the moment. So he lied and typed out, _No, I'm going to the dorm_. That would hopefully give him an hour or two of quiet alone in the library.

The diversion apparently worked; Vaati returned to perusing books and taking notes, without any texts from Link or the blonde showing up. By the time eight o'clock rolled around, Vaati was confident he had enough information to begin narrowing down the location of the Four Sword Sanctuary. He sat down and reread through his notes. The places that stood out the most were Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time. The very original location of the Sanctuary had been hidden within Hyrule Castle, with a door that only opened once every hundred years. Later accounts stated that the sword's final resting place was somewhere southwest of Hyrule Castle; the most prominent holy place in the area was the Temple of Time. However, that was also one historic location of the Master Sword, which made Vaati skeptical; it was unlikely that two legendary swords were ever enshrined at the same location. The only other holy place he could think of in the southwest was the Eastern Abbey. Unlike the Temple of Time, which was now only an historical attraction, the Abbey was an active place of study and worship for the monks and nuns living there. Once in middle school he had gone there for a field trip; he recalled feeling uncomfortable the entire time, and how the monks regarded him strangely.

Vaati circled 'Hyrule Castle' and 'Eastern Abbey'. These were the most likely places. The Abbey was easy enough to get to, whereas the castle would take a bit of work to get permission to enter. Satisfied with the day's work, he shut his notebook and stood -

\- Only to find himself looking into the dark eyes and pale face of Ghirahim. He nearly cursed aloud in his surprise.

"Hard at work trying to find the Four Sword?" the tall, thin man said without any preamble. He placed a hand over Vaati's notebook and leaned forward, a confident smirk stretching his lips. "Your dedication is admirable! But I can make this much easier for you. Since I know exactly where the Sanctuary is."

Vaati chose his words carefully. He knew it was useless to try to evade Ghirahim; those black eyes were sharp and intelligent, too keen for him to lie. The young man willed himself to calm down. It was best to tread carefully until he could figure out why Ghirahim was speaking with him. "Where is it, then?"

Ghirahim lifted his hand and pointed at one of Vaati's notes: Eastern Abbey. "It's hidden deep underground, in a wonderfully dark stone vault, protected by thin layers of magic. Or rather, it _was_ protected."

Why was he telling him this? Vaati knew Ghirahim's reputation all too well - he'd once seen the aftermath of a bloody beating by the 'Lord'. The victims were always too terrified to spill a single secret, so what exact errands Ghirahim was having them run were unknown. Vaati himself had never spoken with the white-haired man, however, always keeping a careful distance. He didn't believe in auras, but he couldn't shake the feeling of darkness and power that surrounded Ghirahim. His reasons for helping Vaati were only bound to be twisted.

"How do you know where it is?" Vaati asked slowly.

To that, Ghirahim's smirk widened, and he tossed back his head, running a finger through his bangs. "How, you ask? I broke into the Sanctuary myself, so of course I know where it is." His fingers curled into a fist and his proud expression changed to pained frustration. "Can you imagine my disappointment when I found it was empty - gone - barely a trace left? Ah, I was furious! Outraged! I felt that my years of work had come to nothing, absolutely nothing!"

Vaati tensed; there was something wild and dangerous in Ghirahim's eyes. "What was gone - the sword?"

"No no, the sword is there, decaying deliciously. What I was looking for - what I have been searching for all this time..." The man lifted a slender finger and pointed it at Vaati's chest. "...is -"

There was a loud crash to their right, cutting off Ghirahim and causing them both to snap their heads towards the source of the sound. Several chairs were knocked over and a stack of books had fallen to the ground. Standing in the midst of the mess, panting slightly, was Link. Vaati's breath caught for a moment when he saw his roommate's eyes: hard, narrowed, and fixed on Ghirahim, they were the same eyes as the time he'd been attacked, the same eyes that Vaati always saw in his nightmare. Eyes like a fierce wolf, ready to fight.

"Vaati," Link enunciated his words slowly and carefully, "get away from him."


	18. Chapter 17

A/N: I forgot to say thank you for everyone's reviews! And thank you all for the 3,000 views!

Did anyone think last chapter's events were out-of-the-blue? Well, don't worry! We're about to find out (some of) the rest of the story! Guys, I'm really excited. Like, really really excited. The fact that I wrote this all today testifies to that. Once again, I hope this delivers to you some of the excitement I'm feeling!

Blood and tears and plot twists ahead!

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Chapter 17

 _A few hours earlier..._

So apparently Vaati had lied about going back to the dorms. Link looked around their empty room and sighed. She could take a hint - Vaati didn't want her around, though why he was suddenly annoyed by her existence, she hadn't a clue. Helping him look for the Four Sword Sanctuary only made her feel guilty, anyway; while Vaati pored through stacks of books, Link sat right next to him knowing the location the entire time. It was probably better that she let him have at it on his own. Meanwhile, she would work on some homework to pass the time; she didn't really have anything better to do.

Link halfheartedly spent an hour going through her math homework, when her phone started ringing. It was a call from a number not in her contacts, and she was about to decline the call when she suddenly recognized the number. She seized the phone and answered, "Sheik-is that you?!"

"Been a while," came Sheik's deep voice. He made a sort of groan, then continued, "Are you in a safe location?"

"Yeah; what's up?" It had been a long, long time since Link had heard from Sheik. He was Impa's other pupil and Link's close friend-slash-rival. Since he was two years older, he had left for deep missions in the field before Link, and they were only sparingly able to keep in touch. Something about Sheik's serious tone made her think this wasn't just a friendly call to say hello.

"Listen, have you seen Ghirahim lately?"

Link frowned, surprised that Sheik knew who Ghirahim was. "Now that I think about it, it's been a while..." After that encounter with him in the gym, she'd been on guard, but the young 'Lord' hadn't approached her again.

"I was assigned to keep an eye on him after you reported his strange behavior to Impa. However, he disappeared three weeks ago and I was unable to find any trace of him. It was as though he had simply vanished..." Sheik gave a cough, pausing for a moment. "I finally found him on Monday night, in Castletown, only to see him leaving the scene of a murder. The victim was a monk from the Eastern Abbey. He also met briefly with a Yiga agent; it appeared he has some position of authority with the Yiga. I chased Ghirahim down, but he..." With a small growl, Sheik admitted, "He nearly killed me as well; it was a miracle that I escaped. I only now regained consciousness."

Sheik's words sunk in too quickly, leaving Link stunned and silent. Ghirahim had nearly killed Sheik...? The Sheikah spy's fighting skills were on par with Impa's, far better than Link's; she'd never been able to defeat him in a match, even though her own abilities were acknowledged as expert. It made no sense - how had Ghirahim been able to bring down the Sheikah's top agent? And Sheik said he was involved with the Yiga, as well?

"Wait, you said this was Monday night?"

"Yes. The same night that the Sanctuary was broken into - Impa left a report about it for me to read. I'm sure you see the connection - Ghirahim likely questioned that monk about the Sanctuary's location and then killed him afterwards to keep him quiet; he wanted to silence me as well but fortunately I escaped. Afterwards, he broke into the Sanctuary."

"Why didn't Impa tell me about this?!" Link exclaimed. Then she shook her head. Was _that_ what Impa had almost told her when she was leaving the Abbey?

Sheik coughed, groaning slightly. "She didn't know who had attacked me and that monk - I was unconscious until today, like I told you. Likely she didn't think it relevant to tell you."

"Where is Ghirahim now?"

"We don't know. That's why I called you - be on high alert. He is after something, and he's willing to kill for it." When Link made no reply after a long moment, Sheik queried, "Are you still there?"

Link cleared her throat and stood, walking over to her bed. "I have an idea of what he's looking for." She pulled out her toolkit and searched through it with one hand. "Is Impa there, by any chance?" Her fingers curled around the handle of an army knife - the only weapon she had brought to the Academy. This, and a harness, she strapped on, where it could be hidden under her coat.

"No, I haven't seen her yet," Sheik answered.

"Alright, I'll message her myself later. Thanks for reporting this to me, Sheik. Get well soon."

Sheik's voice came back strained. "Don't do anything rash, Link!"

Link laughed lightly as she pulled out her listening device, the one connected to the bug on Vaati. "Of course I won't! I'm the epitome of caution! Talk to ya later!" She hung up.

So Ghirahim was working with the Yiga Clan; both he and several Yiga spies had been placed at the Academy, successfully keeping their association with each other and their objectives a secret until now. Tiv had her eye on Vaati, apparently trying to recruit him to her side and use his magic, while Ghirahim had been searching for the Four Sword Sanctuary, fabled resting place of the Wind Mage. The seal had faded already, though, leaving everyone with the question of what had become of the Wind Mage. Link knew where Ghirahim would turn next - indeed, there was only one answer to all of this:

The Wind Mage was undoubtedly their target, and Vaati Enlil was the most likely suspect.

Link turned on the listening device (which looked like an MP3 player) and stuck in the earbuds. Silence punctuated with subtle static greeted her. Then there was a rustle - paper, perhaps? Her guess was that Vaati had returned to the library to study some more. She debated for a long moment, then grabbed her coat. She'd keep an eye on him from a distance. It was unlikely the Ghirahim would suddenly show up, but she knew there was no such thing as being too prepared.

She was approaching the library building when a voice broke the silence in her earbuds. " _Hard at work trying to find the Four Sword?_ " Link stopped where she was. Haughty and smooth and subtly sinister, the voice made her hackles rise. " _Your dedication is admirable! But I can make this much easier for you. Since I know exactly where the Sanctuary is._ "

" _Where is it, then?_ " Vaati's voice replied.

Link broke into a sprint, tearing the earbuds out and shooting towards the library. Ghirahim was here already?! "Din!" she cursed. Some poor students in her way got roughly pushed to the side as she ran. She couldn't be sure what Ghirahim's goal was in talking with Vaati, but it could not be anything good. Was he going to tell Vaati that he was probably the Wind Mage? Try to recruit him? What if Vaati rejected him - would Ghirahim kill him? Link threw open the library door and looked frantically around, cursing the tall bookshelves. But there - she could glimpse white hair!

Disregarding any kind of normal library conduct, Link sprinted towards Ghirahim. Her foot caught in the leg of a chair and she tumbled forward, reaching out for the table and knocking a stack of books to the floor. Ghirahim and Vaati whipped their heads towards her; the pale man's eyes narrowed, while her roommate's eyes grew wide. She fixed her gaze on Ghirahim.

"Vaati," she said slowly and carefully, not breaking eye contact with her target, "get away from him."

No one made a sound or moved for a long moment. Ghirahim's dark eyes screamed murder; Link didn't flinch, but returned his gaze with a glare just as dangerous. When someone finally did move, it was the white-haired man, raising a hand to press his fingers to his temple. Link's fingers twitched in response. "I thought I warned you not to get in my way," he hissed. "But it seems you _heroes_ simply cannot help yourselves. Allow me to teach you a lesson, child!" He raised his hand above his head and snapped his fingers.

Link's glare faltered as she watched, shocked, as a pitch-black rapier materialized in Ghirahim's hand. So he could use magic? She only had a moment to be surprised before Ghirahim, grinning murderously, lunged towards her. She grabbed one of the knocked-over chairs and swung it at him, but he fluidly parried with his sword, slicing clean through its wooden frame. Oh Hylia - how sharp was that sword?!

He jabbed with the blade, and Link barely twisted out of the way, her back slamming against a bookshelf. When Ghirahim swung at her again, she ducked under the swing and pulled out her knife, lunging forward and driving it into her enemy's stomach. Instead, however, it hit something rock-hard and glanced off him, leaving only a tear in his shirt. Link cursed and quickly retreated several paces away, out of reach of Ghirahim's sword. This wasn't looking good; his sword had left a clean gouge through a shelf of books, and her knife had done nothing at all against him.

Her eyes darted to Vaati, who was behind Ghirahim looking utterly shocked. She really couldn't blame him - Ghirahim had appeared out of the blue, and she had arrived just as suddenly, and now a fight was unfolding within the library. "Vaati!" she shouted. He flinched. "Get out of here!"

"Oh, no you don't," Ghirahim spun around to face Vaati.

Link took advantage of this and leaped forward, throwing an arm around the pale man's neck and seizing his sword hand with the other. "GET OUT!" she screamed at Vaati, attempting to twist Ghirahim's hand and make him drop the sword. He struggled against her, but then suddenly dropped the sword and snapped his fingers.

Vaati's eyes went wide, and he took a step forward. "Link, behind you!"

She turned her head in time to see several black daggers hurtling towards her. Cursing, she let go of Ghirahim and tried to move out of their path, but one sliced her right shoulder. The rest flew past, embedding themselves into the nearby tables and shelves. Vaati stared at the dagger sticking out of the table right in front of him.

"You are nimble, child," Ghirahim told Link, straightening his shirt. "But you have no way of hurting me. Try as hard as you like - you will only humiliate yourself. And then you'll die as you should: a weak, shameful boy, pretending to be a hero." He snapped his fingers, and his sword reappeared in his hand. Then he advanced with slow steps towards Link.

Her mind raced, searching for a way to defeat him, to escape, to somehow win. The pain pulsing in her shoulder reminded her of Sheik's words: " _He nearly killed me._ " If Sheik couldn't hold his own against Ghirahim... what hope did she have?

Ghirahim swung at her, perhaps sensing her momentary fear. She dodged back, a second too slow, and the tip of his blade connected with her stomach, cutting a horizontal line that quickly grew crimson. She clapped a hand to the wound and stumbled back. It wasn't deep enough to be life-threatening, but the blood loss could quickly become a problem. Link gripped her knife and charged at her opponent, shouting with a mixture of raw anger, pain, and fear. Ghirahim just smirked and raised his sword.

" _LINK!_ "

She hit what felt like a wall, sending her crashing back. Confused, she shook her head and looked up to see that Ghirahim also had been pushed back. There were several ground-shaking crashes as the bookshelves near them toppled over, having been hit with a force hard enough to break the metal anchors holding them upright. She heard students elsewhere in the library scream in terror. Ghirahim simply scoffed and looked over at the source of the chaos. "So you are on _his_ side?"

Link turned her head in the same direction. Vaati was slowly lowering a hand, his eyes glowing unmistakably and his hair moving in the wind surrounding him. Everything in front of him had been blasted out of the way. He fixed those red eyes on Ghirahim. "It was your own error to assume I was on _your_ side," he replied icily.

"Tch, I never thought you would side with the enemy. Then again, you are not quite the same Vaati, are you? But I suppose I've acquired the information I needed. Unfortunately, my plan requires you to be alive and cooperative, so I shall take my leave." Ghirahim's sword vanished in a flash of red and black diamonds, and he swept into an exaggerated bow. "Until next time, Wind Mage."

Vaati's eyes flashed and he jerked his hand forward, sending a blast of wind right at Ghirahim. But the slender man vanished in a flurry of diamonds, just like his sword, leaving behind no trace; not even the black daggers remained. Vaati snarled and kicked a chair in frustration.

Gritting her teeth, Link used a nearby table to pull herself to her feet, casting a look around at the ruined library. Five bookshelves had toppled over like dominoes, books scattered all across the floor, while the chairs and tables around Vaati and Link had been thrown around. One chair was in pieces, a table was scarred with deep gouges, and a dozen or so books had been cut in half. Outside the ring of destruction, a group of students was standing, watching nervously. She saw to her dismay that a few had their phones out and were taking videos.

"Link, are you okay?" she heard Vaati's voice next to her, and she turned back to him. The glow had faded from his eyes, but the anger was still there.

She dropped her eyes to stare at the red staining her shirt, then up at Vaati to smile. "If we just ignore the blood and wounded pride, then yep, I'm a-okay!" she answered, giving him a thumbs-up, then, realizing her hand was covered with blood, quickly dropped it.

Vaati opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by a man shouting near the library entrance. "Campus police, step aside!" They turned to see a muscular officer pushing some of the students aside, quickly surveying the damage and calling out to them, "You two, stay where you are." He seemed to notice Link's injuries, because he asked the onlookers, "Did anyone call an ambulance?" When someone answered in the affirmative, he nodded and walked over to Link and Vaati.

"I'm Officer Eagus Darvell. An ambulance is on the way. Are you injured as well?" he asked Vaati.

"No..." the violet-haired man replied quietly.

Officer Eagus nodded. "Good. What are your names?" After they each gave their names, he nodded again. "I'll need you to fill out a report on what happened here, Mr. Enlil. As for you -" he addressed Link "- we need to stop the bleeding."

Link smiled and raised a hand. "I've got it under control." She proceeded to tear off the bottom hem of her shirt, balling the fabric up and pressing it to the gash in her stomach. Usually she disliked showing her stomach, due to the various scars there, but they were currently hidden under a layer of blood. She also wasn't really in a position to be picky about it.

The officer raised his eyebrows, then turned his head to speak into the walkie-talkie on his shoulder. "This is Officer Eagus. Requesting backup at the library." He cast another look around at the chaos. "What happened here?"

"A sword-wielding demon attacked," Vaati said flatly.

He got another eyebrow-raise in reply. Sirens could be heard outside, getting closer. "Alright, I'll hear it in your report. An officer will accompany you to the hospital, Mr. Forrester. You will come with me to the campus police office, Mr. Enlil."

* * *

 _Saturday, 8:00am_

 _Hyrule National Hospital, Castletown Campus_

"Could you maybe not tell Sheik I got my butt kicked...? Because I sort of told him I wouldn't do anything rash... right before I, uh, went and fought Ghirahim..." Link smiled at Impa sheepishly from her hospital bed.

Her humorous plea did nothing to break the icy mask on her adoptive mother's face. She dropped the smile after a moment and sighed. "Would you have done something different...?"

"I would not have engaged in combat in a public place with a person whose abilities you already knew were superior to your own."

Link cringed and nodded reluctantly. She knew that. She knew that, yet... When she had heard Ghirahim's voice over the listening device, she could only think about how Vaati was in danger. She didn't think about the danger she was placing herself in. Lifting up her shirt, she took a look at the bandages around her stomach. One more scar to add to her collection. "Man, the guy that marries me is going to be in for a shock..." she muttered.

There was a cough. Link glanced up, to see Vaati standing in the doorway. She immediately dropped her shirt back down, hoping he hadn't heard that last comment. By the way he awkwardly cleared his throat again, she was guessing he had. Oh, well, her reputation with him had never been pure, anyways.

"Vaati, it is nice to meet you again," Impa greeted him calmly. "Thank you for protecting my son. It's very likely he would have died had you not been there."

Link muttered under her breath, "You don't have to be so blunt about it..."

Impa ignored Link and continued, "You probably have a lot of questions about what happened."

"A significant amount." Vaati shut the door, taking a seat and crossing his arms. He looked over at Link with a familiar expression: eyes narrowed and focused, the look that said he wanted answers and he wanted them now. "Care to explain _this_ one, Link?"

She laughed nervously and cast a glance at Impa; her guardian's face remained blank. "Uh, I'm not quite sure how to explain it all..."

"We are Sheikah spies."

Link nearly had a heart attack right then and there. She opened and closed her mouth, gaping like a fish at Impa, stunned. Vaati merely squinted, confused, like he didn't quite understand. The white-haired woman gazed back at them calmly. "Vaati, Link and I are Sheikah spies. Ghirahim and Tiv are agents of the Yiga Clan. As unbelievable as it sounds, I believe you will find that it answers nearly all of your questions."

They both kept their gazes on Vaati, waiting for his reply. He switched between looking at Impa and looking at Link, his expression changing from a squint of confusion to a light of understanding to a slight scowl. He dropped his head to his hands and gave a laugh. "Of course. Of course. That makes perfect sense. I wondered why you were so insistent on being my friend, why you got attacked, why you were hanging out with Zelda... It all makes sense now. Let me guess: you've been keeping an eye on me to make sure I don't end up being the Wind Mage?"

"No!" Link exclaimed. Vaati raised his head, eyes dry but red-rimmed, and Link's breath caught, seeing the deep anger and betrayal in his face. "No, Vaati, I came because we thought the Yiga were targeting Zelda, but we found out they were after you instead. I've been trying to keep them from using you for their own plans." Vaati made no reply, only stared at her with that same hurt and anger.

Impa spoke up. "What he says is true. Our goal has been to discover the Yiga's plans and put a stop to them. Which leads to what happened yesterday - it seems that they are seeking the power of the Wind Mage, and they think you are its wielder."

"And do you think I'm the Wind Mage?" Vaati inquired in a low voice.

"There is increasing evidence to support it," Impa replied bluntly, making Link cringe.

"Wind Mage or not," the blonde interjected hastily, "we're not letting the Yiga get their dirty hands on you."

Vaati narrowed his eyes at Link. "Of course; you can't let your enemy get their hands on a dangerous weapon."

"No, I won't let my enemy get their hands on my friend!" Link snapped back. She couldn't stand the distrust in his eyes anymore. "I know what you're thinking right now - that everything has been a lie, and that we've just been using you. Yes, there were some lies, but being friends was never one of them! Looking for the fairy fountain - trying to get you something for your birthday - helping you with your magic - all of that was because I'm your friend, Vaati!"

Her roommate regarded her with an expression of mild disgust and that same anger, and he turned away, muttering, "I don't even know if your name is actually Link. And crying is a stupid way to try to convince me."

She blinked and felt hot tears leak down her cheeks. Rubbing furiously at her eyes, she flopped onto her side, facing away from Vaati. "Nayru's love, this is why I didn't want you to find out..."

"Vaati," Impa said firmly, "let's speak outside."

Link heard their footsteps and the door open and close. And then the room was quiet, interrupted only by occasional sniffles from the girl lying in the hospital bed, crying from the pain not in her stomach, but in her heart.


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: I like to think that Link is not the kind of hero that blindly follows the rules and orders people give him. His true loyalty is to the people he cares about, not necessarily Hyrule. That's my opinion, anyway, and it's a concept our Link will soon have to come to terms with. (By the way, though her character may be somewhat unique, I'm still trying to capture some of the 'essence' of the hero Link: courage, loyalty, love of sleep, things like that.)

I'm not sure I like the development in this chapter too much; Link and Vaati are being stubborn. But I didn't want to take forever and leave you guys waiting a long, long time for an update, so I hope you'll forgive me if this chapter is less than amazing.

You asked a good question: why let Vaati continue thinking that Link's a guy? I'll touch on that in this chapter. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the action! Thanks for the reviews!

Hello to HelenaofHyrule, neoVERSI, Hildenshir, and LadyHoneydee (that's a lot of H's this time)!

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Chapter 18

Unprofessional. That word kept coming up in Link's thoughts as she lay alone in her hospital room. How unprofessional, to cry. How unprofessional, to get so worked up over whether or not her forged friendship with Vaati would survive. How unprofessional, to become emotionally attached to him in the first place. It didn't matter what kind of attachment it was - a spy did not become friends, lovers, allies, you name it, with anyone while on a mission.

She should have recognized it and dealt with it long before now. Thinking back, the night at the Fairy Fountain should have been the warning sign that woke her up. Promising to be on Vaati's side, no matter what? They were her honest feelings, but such feelings did not belong in the heart of a spy. Anyone - even Vaati - could become an enemy - and what then? She'd be backed into a corner, forced to choose between her mission and her promise.

No, it was all just unprofessional and unacceptable. Even if she wished otherwise, she was a Sheikah spy and had to act accordingly.

She was given about an hour alone before Impa returned to the room. Link sat up when she heard the door open, keeping her face carefully neutral when she saw who it was. "Have you calmed down?" Impa queried, standing at the foot of the hospital bed.

Link nodded. "I apologize for my earlier behavior," she murmured. Impa said nothing and crossed her arms. It made Link uncomfortable, the way she just stared at her with those red eyes of hers. "Why'd you go and tell him all of a sudden, anyway?" she asked less demurely.

"I believed it the easiest way to explain things so that he would cooperate." Impa said it in her usual crisp way. "I've briefed him on nearly everything concerning this case."

"...'Nearly' everything?"

"Your true identity is, of course, still secret, as is the involvement of Sheik, my true rank in the Sheikah, and Aveil's connection to the organization." Impa didn't have to explain the reasons why to Link; the identity of a spy was one of the most important things to protect. It could not only affect the current mission but others after it. If Vaati knew Link was a girl, for example, there would likely be conflict concerning their roommate situation; if he remained unaware, however, Link could continue where she was with no complications, and also be confident that, if Vaati were to encounter her in the future as a girl, he wouldn't recognize her, since he thought Link was a guy.

Link nodded slowly, pulling her legs up to rest her arms on her knees. "So he knows that Zelda is in on this?" Impa gave a small nod of affirmation. "And what did he say? Is he going to help us?"

Her guardian's face twisted into a wry smile. "He stated that he'll only help us because he has no choice otherwise."

As much as Link wanted to deny that, she knew Vaati was right. If he refused to cooperate, the Sheikah would be quick to take him into custody and confine him, preventing him from using any magic or doing anything that might lead him to become the Wind Mage. It was only a fake freedom if he chose to help them, but it was better than being locked up.

"What's our next move?" Link queried.

"The doctor says you will be here for at least a week, and after that, you are limited to basic activities for another week so you do not reopen your wound. Our priority is keeping Enlil and Zelda safe from the Yiga. I will assign an agent to Zelda and keep watch on Enlil myself while you recover. We don't have any clue where Ghirahim is or when he might show up next. We have agents posted at the Four Sword Sanctuary, in case anyone shows up there again. The Abbey priests said it will be difficult to reseal the Sanctuary and they do not know if they'll be able to do it anytime soon, if at all." Impa closed her eyes, a frown tugging at her lips. "I am concerned about playing into the Yiga's hands. We know very little factual information about their plans; all we have are conjectures. They are clearly targeting Enlil in the hopes that he is the Wind Mage. We could assist him in regaining his magic and gain an ally in this fight, but there is the chance that the Yiga could use his magic for their own purposes anyway."

"Vaati's going to find his magic whether we help him or not," Link replied, "so I think our best bet is having him on our side."

The two Sheikah discussed various other little details; there wasn't much they could do for now, just watch and wait. Link couldn't even do much of the watching, just the waiting, which she hated. But there wasn't anything she could do about that.

"I believe that covers everything," Impa concluded. She took a step to walk away, then paused. "Link. Have you ever considered leaving the Sheikah?"

The question caught Link off guard, and she just stared at Impa for a while. "Er, you mean, quit being a spy?"

"Yes."

"I guess so. Not seriously thought about it, more like wondered what life would be like if I weren't a spy... Er, why?"

"You are not a Sheikah by birth, so you have the right to leave the agency if you choose. If, for instance, the emotional and relational restrictions this life places on you become too much."

The implication stabbed at Link's chest. "I'll keep my emotions under control from here on out, Impa," she stated firmly, locking eyes with her guardian.

Impa's expression was not critical, though, just thoughtful. She turned away and walked to the door. "It is your choice to remain a Sheikah agent or not. I expect you to do your best in whichever role you do choose, however."

* * *

 _Week 13, Monday 11-7, 1:00pm_

 _Status: At lunch with Zelda_

Vaati never visited her at the hospital. Zelda and Impa frequently stopped by, as well as Aveil and some of her classmates and dorm buddies. According to her guardian's reports, Vaati spent the week doing the usual: going to class and studying, as though nothing out of the ordinary at all had happened.

Ghirahim's attack had, of course, become the talk of the academy, and it seemed Vaati had frequent encounters with curious students wanting to know the true story. The official report stated that Ghirahim (who was known for violence) had started a fight with Vaati and Link and then fled the scene. There had been too many witnesses, though, for that simple report to pass so easily. People wanted to know if Vaati really could use magic, and if Link was a ninja or something (that made Link laugh out loud when she heard it). Even some of her visitors wanted to know where she'd learned 'those sick fighting moves'. She just made some excuses about taking martial arts in high school.

Along with those other reports, Link heard that Tiv vanished from the Academy without notice; she wondered if the Yiga agent was being punished for not successfully recruiting Vaati. She knew the Yiga did not tolerate failure, and with someone like Ghirahim in their ranks, she had a feeling there would be little mercy for Tiv. Still, it was only a guess, and the Yiga agent's sudden absence was concerning.

When she finally returned to the Academy on Sunday, Vaati had greeted her in their room with: "Unless it's related to your Sheikah stuff, don't talk to me." He'd ignored her completely after that, and she eventually gave up trying to talk with him.

"I think he actually hates me," Link moaned, stretching out her arms across the cafeteria table and resting her head between them. She felt a hand pat her on the shoulder.

"He's just upset. I'm sure he'll come to understand," Zelda reassured her, giving Link a smile when she turned her head. "But you know, it must mean he did trust you quite a bit. If he didn't care in the first place, he wouldn't be reacting so strongly now."

That wasn't exactly 100% reassuring for Link; she remembered the hurt and anger in Vaati's eyes when he'd first found out. All that trust, gone. She wondered how she could win it back - _if_ she should win it back... "How is your research going?" she asked Zelda, changing the subject.

The blonde girl brushed back her hair, her smile fading somewhat. "It is going very slowly... I feel bad that Impa asked me for help when all I can do is so little and so slow."

"Well, no one else can do it, so it doesn't matter if it's only a little at a time."

The two fell into a thoughtful silence. It was true that the research Zelda was doing could only be done by her - she was seeking out how to use her sensing ability to help Vaati unlock his magic. But since it was an incredibly rare trait, information on it was scarce. When she could, Zelda studied Vaati, observing his magic and taking notes about anything unique or different in his aura. It seemed any solution was a long ways off, though.

"Maybe we should visit the Sanctuary," Zelda suggested. "All three of us, I mean."

Link frowned and scratched her head. "Yeah, we should probably all go together. Otherwise, Vaati's going to go there on his own at some point, and who knows what'll happen. I'll talk to him about it." She stood and stretched out her arms, wincing slightly. "I'm heading out. See you later!"

She gave Zelda a wave, which the girl returned, and strolled out of the cafeteria. The itch to do something after a week of inactivity was growing nearly unbearable. Part of her really wanted to try to patch things up with Vaati, but she knew being pushy could have the exact opposite effect. She no longer had any Yiga agents to keep an eye on, and no reason to go undercover and spy on anyone. Researching was an option, but Link had no desire to sit for hours, reading.

The thought of books, though, reminded her of the library. She hadn't been there since the attack, and she wondered if it had already been cleaned up. It was unlikely that there were any sorts of clues left behind by Ghirahim, but she still felt curious about checking it out. Link turned her steps towards the library, feeling happy to have found something to do, no matter how trivial.

Upon entering the front door she was met with caution tape and signs apologizing for the mess. Three of the five bookshelves that Vaati had knocked down were back in place, their shelves empty, the other two tall wooden bookshelves missing, likely too damaged to use. Most of the books had been cleared except for a few stacks piled on the ground near the shelves. A librarian was going through one of the said piles, marking down notes on a clipboard as she sorted through them.

Link cautiously edged around the disaster zone. She suddenly realized that she should have disguised herself so that no one would recognize her as the kid that partially caused this mess. Too late - the librarian at the front desk met Link's eye and took a sharp breath, eyes flashing in recognition. She didn't say anything, though, and Link slunk past, sending silent thank-yous to the librarian. The blonde walked along the perimeter, staring at the gouge in one of the tables, left by those black daggers Ghirahim had summoned. Absently she fingered the ridge of stitches on her stomach; the sharpness of his sword had been surreal. Then again, it _had_ been summoned with magic. Normal weapons stood no chance against that kind of thing.

"What are you doing here?"

Link had been so lost in her memories of the fight that she hadn't noticed a certain violet-haired student sitting at one of the tables behind her. She whirled around at the annoyed voice.

"Oh, Vaati. I didn't know you were here."

Her roommate narrowed his red eyes. "Don't bother with that - I'm sure you guys keep track of where I am. So what do you want?"

His bitter tone stabbed at her, but Link endeavored to keep her voice light when she replied, "I was just checking out the 'scene of the crime'. But actually, I do need to talk to you," she added, remembering her chat with Zelda. "Wanna go with Zelda and me to the Sanctuary?"

"Oh, so you finally came up with that idea. When?"

"Probably this weekend. I have to ask Impa first, but I'm sure it's fine." Link leaned forward, looking at the notebook and various opened books spread out before Vaati on the table. "What are you researching now?"

Vaati scowled and turned away. "It's none of your business."

"Technically..." Link muttered, but cut herself off, shaking her head with a sigh. "Well, I'll let you know about the trip and stuff! Later!" Knowing Vaati wouldn't reply, she quickly left.

* * *

 _Thursday, 8:40pm_

 _Farore Dorms Common Room_

"Hey, did you and Vaati have a fight or something?" Talo asked Link, pausing from the movie he was watching on the lounge's TV.

Blinking, Link lowered the book she'd been half-reading, then gave a smile. "Whaddaya mean?" she replied innocently.

"I never see you two guys together, not since you got back. And you avoid him like the plague." Her dorm friend pointed an accusing finger at Link's face. "You're acting down, too - even that smile is kinda forced."

She kept her smile in place, though inside she was cursing herself for being too obvious. Were her acting skills really taking that much of a hit? "Nah, I'm fine! And Vaati's just been busy, y'know, that's all! We're actually going on a trip this weekend."

Talo frowned, unconvinced, and shrugged. Then his eyebrows suddenly shot up. "Oh, speak of the devil!" he exclaimed loudly, looking somewhere behind Link.

She tensed but didn't move. "I'm not falling for a move like that, dude! What, you wanna see how I react if I think Vaati's here? I'd just sit here and say hi."

"Er, no, he really _is_ behind you..."

"Yeah, right!" Just to humor him, Link stretched her head back so she was looking upside down behind her. She just as quickly snapped it back up to a normal position and turned around properly, raising a hand in a weak wave. "H-hey, Vaati," she greeted her poker-faced roommate who was standing in the common room doorway.

He only locked eyes with her for a moment, then walked on past the couch to the stairs on the other side of the room, giving neither of them any greetings. Link lowered her hand and sighed. Talo turned a perplexed look on her.

"You're the one acting weird," he stated. "Vaati acts annoyed like that all the time, but you never seemed to care. You always pestered him until he acknowledged you. Now, though... it kinda seems like you're running away from him?" Talo rubbed the top of his head. "Well, I guess it's not my business." He turned his head towards the TV and the movie he'd been watching.

Link slumped on the couch, tossing her book down beside her. She wasn't running away, she was giving him the space he wanted. Though, Talo did have a good point: she'd always ignored Vaati's annoyed attitude and stuck around him even when he told her to go away. But that was when he thought she was just a normal student. Now there was a barrier between them, one she just couldn't get over. Still... Link didn't like that others thought she was running away. Being called a coward was one thing she could not tolerate.

Something needed to change, she thought. Neither of them could progress with the mission well if things continued like this. She hopped to her feet and half-ran to the stairs, up through the halls to her room, swinging open the door without knocking. Vaati, sitting on his bed, snapped his head up, squinting first in confusion at the chaotic entrance, then glaring at the one causing the commotion. Link shut the door less loudly and locked it. "I want to talk to you," she said, facing him with a serious expression.

"I don't," Vaati answered shortly.

Part of her brain pleaded with her not to be rash, to keep on ignoring the hurt feelings of rejection, to ignore her hurt pride, to just go back to being a spy without any of these emotions dragging her down. But Talo's words had unknowingly hit a sensitive nerve: she wouldn't be accused of running away.

"Well, I'm going to talk to you anyway! We can't keep avoiding each other, other people are getting suspicious." Link walked over to Vaati and stubbornly crossed her arms.

"I don't care," he glared up at her.

"You should care! You're part of this mission now, so you have to act like it. Avoiding suspicion is a number one priority. You could at least try to act like you don't hate my guts." She reached out a hand to poke him in the shoulder. "I'm not asking you to forgive me or be my friend again. Just until all of this is over, try cooperating a little. And then I'll get out of your life. That's what you want, right?" she ended, voice not as strong as she would have liked.

Vaati's narrowed red eyes didn't leave her face. "I wish you hadn't come into my life in the first place," he replied in a mutter.

Link withdrew her hand. "Yeah. I made your life a mess. Sorry." She dropped her gaze and was silent for several moments. "Hey, did you ever think of me as a friend?" she asked, bringing her eyes back up to Vaati's face.

His gaze strayed to the side and he didn't answer right away. "...Maybe at one point. Not anymore."

His words made her heart ache with a bittersweet feeling. Link took several steps back, smiling. "I'm really glad you did think so at some point. It was fun, being friends. Sorry I made a mess of things!" She took a deep breath and let it out all at once. "That's all I wanted to talk about. We're just roommates and co-workers now, so let's act like it. I look forward to working with you!" Link stretched out her hand.

To her surprise, Vaati reached out and took it, giving it a small shake, then quickly let go. "This doesn't mean I've forgiven you. I'll just cooperate for the mission." He looked away. "Is your name really Link?" he asked out of the blue, very seriously.

"Heh, yep! My last name isn't Forrester, though. That's a secret." Link smiled again and walked to the door. "Later!"

She didn't expect a reply, but she thought she heard Vaati's voice, as she shut the door, say, "...Later."

Well, at least it seemed like they could have a new start. Link just wished it wasn't as co-workers. But, as she so often told herself, such was her life as a spy.

" _Have you ever considered leaving the Sheikah?_ "

Link paused on the stairs, remembering Impa's words. No, she couldn't leave the Sheikah. Maybe she wasn't one of them by birth, but she'd grown up learning how to be a spy, training to be one, living among and making friends with other spies. She was happy with that life. She knew, even though she had to put on a mask and lie with a smile, that she was doing something worth the sacrifice, something that had saved lives before. So she couldn't be friends with Vaati - that wasn't worth leaving the Sheikah. This was her life, and she just had to believe that the sadness she was feeling would disappear with time.


	20. Chapter 19

A/N: Have I mentioned how I enjoy doing Vaati's POV? Here's another chapter from our dear Porcupine's perspective! No hesitation, this chapter jumps right into some plot advancement! Maybe it's because the last chapter was kind of slow, but this one seems almost too fast-paced... Let me know what you guys think!

Thank you, lordvaatithewindmage, James Birdsong, and Okyaku-san for your reviews!

* * *

Chapter 19

 _Friday, 3:23pm_

 _Location: Eastern Abbey_

 _Status: Going to investigate the Four Sword with Impa, Link, and Zelda_

Vaati couldn't help but feel that Impa had become more intimidating ever since he'd found out she and Link were Sheikah spies. Or maybe the way she watched him with sharp eyes as he walked with Link and Zelda through the Abbey was just his imagination. It was easy to become paranoid when your roommate and his mother were both spies investigating a case about you. He decided to ignore it, however, and focused his mind on the purpose of their visit to the Abbey: the Four Sword Sanctuary.

According to Impa's report, and Zelda's confirmation, the Four Sword no longer held the Wind Sage within its blade. The seal had faded a decade or two ago. No one knew for sure what had become of the Wind Sage, but apparently Vaati shared the same magical signature as his namesake. Their mission today was to confirm if the magical signature truly was the same and to see if Vaati had any reactions to the Four Sword. As Impa had said, there was an increasing amount of evidence pointing to Vaati actually being the Wind Mage, and this trip could very well be the final piece of the puzzle.

Of course he had wondered 'what if' before. What if he really had been born with the Wind Mage's power? When he was younger, he had feared that the government would take him and lock him away for his magic. As he grew older, however, he gradually realized that very few people even believed in magic or the legends of the Wind Mage anymore. Sure, he was bullied for his name, but no one actually thought he was that dangerous. His fear of magic became curiosity, as he sought to find out why he alone of all people could use it. The bullying didn't stop, but neither did his interest in magic. Even if his power was the same as the Wind Mage's, he'd told himself, he was a different person. He would bring magic back to all of Hyrule. He would bring it back, and then... then maybe he'd be free.

The bitter side of himself always laughed at that part. What, he'd be free from the bullying and judgment? Yeah, right. There was no erasing the uneasiness in the eyes of those who had seen his magic. It didn't matter if he used it to protect some - those eyes would still look at him with barely hidden fear. There was only one person who had never shown fear or uneasiness when they found out about his magic - Link. But Vaati pushed the thought away. Link had no place in his feelings anymore.

As he followed Impa, Link, and Zelda down a flight of stairs, Vaati steeled himself for what was coming. Possibly nothing would happen, but he was the kind that prepared for the worst. His palms were growing sweaty. Would seeing the Four Sword unlock his magic? Would Zelda be able to confirm that he was, in fact, the Wind Mage?

"Vaati?"

Link's sudden voice made him jump, and Vaati blinked, abruptly realizing that he'd stopped following and was standing, frozen, on the stairs. He shook his head and swiftly caught up. Perhaps it was the narrow, dark staircase that was making him so uneasy.

Impa led them to a priest's office where the head priest, Father Gaepora, was waiting for them. His gentle bearded face took on a serious expression when he was introduced to Vaati, and the violet-haired student recalled that school trip, so long ago, when all of the monks had looked at him with that same exact expression. The uneasiness was growing stronger, as well, and he could barely concentrate on what the priest was saying. What was it about this place that made him feel so strange? Vaati ignored the looks that Link kept sending his way.

"I shall show you to the Sanctuary, then," Father Gaepora said. He turned to a bookshelf behind his desk, pulling one of the books partly out. There was a soft click, and the bookshelf swung gently open. "Please follow me."

The hidden entrance led to another staircase, this one even more steep, dark, and narrow than the last. Vaati hesitated to descend, but when he saw the concerned look Link gave him yet again, he gritted his teeth and plunged after Father Gaepora. The air was different - damp and cold. How far underground were they going? There were lights at the bottom of the staircase, and Vaati kept his eyes fixed on them, one hand against the wall as he descended.

When his foot landed at the bottom, some unknown dread washed over him. He shrugged it off as best he could and looked around the cavern he'd arrived in.

Several lights had been placed within the area, illuminating the crumbled stone mural that dominated the cavern. The engravings were ancient and near-impossible to understand, covered in moss as they were. Right in the center, a large chunk of the mural had fallen to pieces, leaving a dark hole. Two priests and two people that Vaati assumed were Sheikah agents stood in front of the said hole.

Vaati stared at the crumbled stones and the darkness beyond it. In there, he knew, was the Four Sword. He curled his fingers into fists, fighting down the uneasiness that kept making his throat tighten. It must be the darkness. The dark had always made him uneasy.

"Hey, Vaati, you okay?" Link asked in a whisper, standing by Vaati's side.

He cast a weak glare at his roommate. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"I said, I'm fine!" he snapped loudly. "Let's go look at that sword already." Without waiting for the others, Vaati marched forward, pulling out the flashlight he'd been given earlier.

He pointed the beam of light straight ahead, seeking out the Four Sword. There was a metallic glint as he swept the beam slightly side to side. Vaati bit the inside of his cheek, trying to drown out his rapidly beating heart, and trotted forward to the simple stone pedestal resting at the back of the cave. His eyes fell on the sword resting within the pedestal: its blade was edged with rust, moss creeping up from the pedestal to the sword's hilt. Only the jewel in its hilt retained any of its former glory.

It was clearly an unusable relic, devoid of magic or power. So why did Vaati's chest constrict just from looking at it?

"Enlil, be careful!" came Impa's sharp voice from behind him. There were similar exclamations of warning from the others, but he gave no reaction.

Someone grabbed his wrist and jerked him around. "Seriously, Vaati," Link pressed, face mostly hidden in shadow but the concern clear in his voice, "what's going on? You've been acting weird ever since we got to the Abbey." He slid his hand down to squeeze Vaati's palm. "Your hands are sweaty and shaky."

"Perhaps he should not have been brought here," Father Gaepora said.

"That's right," Vaati murmured. "I shouldn't be here. This place is... that sword..." He bit the inside of his cheek again and pulled his hand away from Link's. No, this fear was irrational. It was just a cave and just a sword. He wasn't the Wind Mage. It was all just irrational and a waste of time. And to prove it...

" _Don't touch it!_ "

He didn't know who shouted that, but Vaati's fingers had already closed around the mossy handle of the Four Sword. And then everything went black.

* * *

The darkness. It was familiar, and for a moment comforting in its familiarity. Within the darkness, there was no one to judge him, no one to betray him, no one to hurt him. Within the darkness, he had no identity and no expectations. He was free from the weights of life.

Perhaps it was not freedom he wanted, but escape. Running away was something he was good at. He ran from interacting with others, ran from the truth, ran from his own self. Though he had relentlessly questioned Link's actions, when he had actually found out the truth, his first reaction had been to run away from it. It had taken him so long to accept Link as his friend, only to find out that it was all fake, and now he wanted to run away from the truth that he'd ever accepted him at all. Two weeks he'd spent avoiding Link at all costs. It seemed as though he was seeking out the meaning behind his magic, spending all his spare time researching it, but when confronted with the Four Sword, all his fear had surfaced. Grabbing it had been a final, desperate act, an attempt to deny his fear and the growing certainty of who he was.

Here in the darkness, he could escape all that.

But the darkness stretched on, and he began to lose track of time. Moments, or minutes? Hours? There was no way to tell. He counted seconds, just to see, but it wasn't long before he lost count.

How long would he be in darkness this time? Centuries? Centuries, without sight or sound or feeling. Centuries, forgetting what color was, forgetting the sound of his own voice, forgetting what sunshine felt like.

He wanted to run - surely the darkness was not endless? But he had no body, no legs to run with, no eyes to see with, no voice with which to scream out.

 _Not again. Not again. Not again._

Why was it always the darkness? What god had invented this prison? Was this the punishment for running from the truth? This time, his anger and defiance melted into despair.

 _I can't get out. This is the final time. I will cease to exist, swallowed in the darkness. Why - why - WHY?! I JUST WANT TO EXIST!_

He heard his named called.

* * *

"Vaati! Wake up!"

Blinding light assaulted Vaati's eyes when he tried to open them, and he cringed away from the flashlight pointed at his face. "Oh, Hylia," the voice gasped. The light left his face. Something bumped against his shoulder several times. "You idiot, why did you grab the sword?!"

Vaati opened his eyes fully again, taking in the sensations of the hard stone under him and the shadowed faces above him, the echo of their voices and the damp underground air. "How long...?" he murmured.

"You were out for almost fifteen minutes!" It was Link's voice - not surprisingly. Vaati could just make out his roommate's expression: his eyebrows were furrowed deeply, his eyes glinting and hard. "Zelda specifically told you not to touch it!"

"Can you move?" Impa asked, cutting into Link's rant.

He moved his arms to push himself up, but they felt like lead, and his head swam when he finally did get into a sitting position. "What exactly happened when I grabbed it? I feel like... like my energy's been drained."

Zelda and Impa exchanged a look. "Well," the younger girl said nervously, "the Four Sword was used for sealing away the Wind Mage. Since your magical energy matches the Wind Mage's, touching it may have activated its sealing power, even if only a little." She knelt down next to Vaati and placed a hand on his shoulder, quiet for a moment. Then she shook her head. "Almost all of your magic energy is gone..."

"Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like..." Vaati turned his head to look at the Four Sword, still resting in its pedestal. Perhaps it was his imagination, but the jewel in its hilt seemed to gleam a little brighter than before. Otherwise, it was unchanged. "So... it's all in that sword now?"

Zelda turned her head to look as well. "I can check." She stood and moved over to the Four Sword, holding out a hand near it and closing her eyes. Then she nodded. "Yes, I can sense a stronger presence of wind magic within the sword."

"It is more evidence," Impa said thoughtfully, "but still nothing conclusive. Unfortunately, with Enlil having gotten into this condition, there's nothing more we can do for today." She bowed her head to Father Gaepora. "I apologize for the trouble, but we will need to come back again tomorrow."

Father Gaepora's face was drawn, but he nodded and replied, "Of course. Let me show you to the guest rooms."

Link helped Vaati to his feet; the violet-haired man was annoyed to find his legs were too weak to walk on his own, so he had to hang an arm around Link's shoulders and limp out of the cave. His roommate said nothing, though. The unusual quiet made Vaati look at Link, confused, to see the blonde casting a long, serious look at the Four Sword behind them. Then he faced forward, but the look in his blue eyes did not soften.

* * *

That night, Vaati could not sleep. Though he spent the rest of the afternoon resting in the guest room he'd been given, sleep was impossible for him. The fear that he'd fall into darkness again was too great, and he stared for hours at the stone ceiling, stone walls, stained glass window, wooden bookshelf and the leather bound books on its shelves - every little thing in the room that he could see without getting out of bed.

Night came, however, and the room grew dark. Vaati slowly crawled out of bed and turned on the small lamp on the desk near the window. He stood for a moment, staring at the different pieces of colored glass. It was a depiction of the Master Sword, with its royal blue hilt and shining blue-silver blade. Somewhere in Hyrule, he thought, the Master Sword was hidden, just like the Four Sword. Just how many of the myths were actually fact?

He should have known better than to grab the Four Sword; he really had to question his sanity. Vaati continued to stare at the window without actually seeing it. Just like the reality of the Four Sword, he knew the reality of the Wind Mage, but his heart did not want to accept it. Nothing was conclusive yet, he told himself.

His body was still a bit sluggish, but at least he could walk on his own. Vaati pulled out a book from the shelf at random and opened it up to the first page: ' _Hylia's People: A History of Hylian Worship._ ' Skimming through the pages, Vaati sat back down on his bed, letting the book occupy his mind and replace the worried thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him.

Before long - or at least, it felt like a short time - Vaati had finished the book. He sighed and shut it firmly, looking around for the time. The clock on the desk read 10:54. There were other books in his room, but for once he did not feel like reading. That uneasy feeling had never gone away, and he felt the need to move around, to try to find somewhere where that feeling did not follow him. Since he wasn't going to sleep anyways, either, Vaati left the guest room, deciding to take a walk down to the Abbey library.

It was just as he entered the library that he saw a figure entering the restricted staircase that led to the priests' offices. Normally, Vaati would have dismissed it as just a priest going down to their office, but he had caught a glimpse of the person's hair - light-colored and short, with a small ponytail at the base and longer locks of hair near the ears. Just like a certain blue-eyed spy he knew.

Vaati followed after the figure as quickly as he dared and as quietly as he could. The uneasy feeling grew as he descended the stairs, and this time he knew it was correlated to how close he was to the Four Sword. But as long as he did not touch it, Vaati told himself, he could endure it. He needed to know why this person - if it was who he thought it was - was going down to the Sanctuary in the middle of the night.

All the way down to Father Gaepora's office they went. Vaati ducked out of sight when the figure stopped suddenly in front of the office door. Peeking, he saw the person fiddling with the lock - probably picking it. His guess was correct, as the figure was quickly able to open the previously locked door, slipping inside. Vaati hastened to follow, pausing to give the person time to unlock the bookshelf door. When he heard the distinctive click, he waited a few more seconds, then entered the office, shutting the door behind him. His heart was racing in his throat by now and he was sweating, both from the nervousness of trailing someone and from his growing proximity to the Sanctuary. Taking a deep breath, Vaati plunged into the dark staircase for the second time that day.

Near the bottom of the stair, Vaati stopped, keeping out of sight. How would they get past the Sheikah guards? He held his breath and listened for any sounds.

"...when a Lynel spots you, right?" It was a familiar voice.

"It's best to run at that point," replied a voice Vaati didn't know.

"Or wear a Lynel mask!"

"Alright... you can go in, then. But don't touch anything."

"I know that!"

Vaati frowned; was that some sort of password exchange? It looked like the person had passed, though, and was going into the Sanctuary. He curled his fingers into fists. There wasn't any way he could get past the Sheikah guards, and, when he really thought about it, it wasn't like he really wanted to go into the Sanctuary. There was sweat on his palms and under his arms, despite the cold underground air, and his hands were shaking again.

It was a waste of time, Vaati told himself. He wouldn't repeat the same mistake again and go near the sword. He had just turned to go back up the stairs when a voice rang out, " _Don't touch it!_ "


	21. Chapter 20

A/N: Twenty chapters, whoo! Some of the conversation in this chapter may seem familiar like it's been said before... because it kinda has, but Vaati's a dimwit when it comes to certain things and it just has to be said more than once before he'll get it. He's getting there...! Slowly.

Also, did I say the holiday season would make for fewer updates? lol I thought it would, but when the writing bug bites... you get updates one after the other XP

Thank you to my reviewers, lordvaatithewindmage, Darkest Villain, James Birdsong, and Okyaku-san!

* * *

Chapter 20

 _"Stop hogging it!"_

 _"But it's_ my _toy!" Vaati pulled away. The other kid was persistent, though._

 _"Mrs. Marie says to share!" He grabbed the wolf toy by the tail, tugging at it fiercely._

 _"No, I'm playing with it! Let -_ GO!"

 _The exclamation was followed by a frightened scream and a sudden lack of resistance on the stuffed wolf. Vaati lowered his hands, staring in confusion at the other kid who had somehow collapsed several feet away. All the other toys around his feet were several feet away now, too. He breathed in, and the air that filled his chest seemed... powerful._

 _The other kid gave Vaati one look and ran away, crying._

* * *

" _Don't touch it!_ "

Vaati heard someone shout those words. The next moment, he nearly fell backward as something hit him, knocking all the air out of his chest - no, not out, _in_. He recognized it: that same rush of energy that filled him whenever he used magic. This time was more powerful than he had ever felt before. He pressed his back against the wall in order to stay standing as wind howled through the cavern and the staircase.

There were startled shouts and exclamations from within the Sanctuary. Vaati heard something crash, and some light left the cave, likely one of the lights having toppled and smashed on the ground.

"Put the sword back!" someone bellowed over the wind.

Vaati slowly pushed himself away from the wall. The wind rushed around him, lifting his hair, but it didn't threaten to push him off his feet. Was this... his wind? All the uneasiness that had been dragging him down that day was gone, replaced by the power swelling in his chest and swirling around him. He felt light, as though floating, and at the same time strong, like the weight of a stormy gale.

One deliberate step at a time, Vaati walked down the steps and into the Sanctuary. The two Sheikah guards were crouched low to the ground, fighting to keep on their feet. Vaati ignored them, however, climbing over the crumbled stones of the Sanctuary entrance, his eyes locked on the familiar figure at the back of the cave. He stopped several feet away.

"Looks like my hunch was right!" Link grinned, holding up the rusted Four Sword in his left hand, the other hand braced against the stone wall. "There, your magic is finally unlocked!"

When all he got in reply was the howling of the wind, the blonde's smile faltered. "Er, Vaati...? You okay?"

"Do I look okay?!" Vaati snapped. All at once, the wind stopped rushing randomly around the cavern and shot in one focused blast at Link's left hand. The Four Sword went clattering to the ground. Vaati marched over to Link and grabbed him by the front of the shirt, slamming him up against the wall. He had a feeling his eyes were glowing red, but he didn't care. "I didn't ask you to do this! Weren't you the one that got after me for grabbing that sword?! Are you an idiot?! You could have been sucked into that darkness like I was!"

Link's smile dropped completely and he offered no resistance. "Zelda said I have no magical signature, or at least, not one the sword would react to. The only danger from me touching it would be accidentally undoing the seal completely. There was still a little left... I figured that's what was keeping you from using your magic."

His eyes suddenly widened, snapping back to somewhere behind Vaati. Before he could react, Link grabbed his arms and swung him around to be pressed against the wall, reversing their positions. Standing in the Sanctuary entrance were the two Sheikah agents, pointing guns his way. Vaati's breath caught for one moment.

"Alrighty, time to calm down and stop the crazy winds," Link said lightly, though his expression was serious. "Ignore those two. Just concentrate - kinda like training, but in reverse. Calm down, calm down..."

Vaati took a deep breath. Link was right, he needed to get a grip. As he was right now, he hated to admit, he looked dangerous. Just take slow, deep breaths. Gradually, the howling of the wind in the cavern died down, as did the powerful feeling in his chest.

He scowled when Link let go of his shoulders and patted him on the head. "Good job! You're a natural!" his roommate grinned, as though this were the most normal thing in the world.

"Link, you know what this means, right...?" he muttered, his anger not completely gone.

His roommate nodded but didn't stop smiling. "Yep - your magic is completely free now! And we finally got that answer we were looking for. I think we all kinda knew already, though. But anyways -" Link held out his hand to Vaati "- congratulations on getting your magic!"

Vaati could only stare, dumbfounded, at the hand offered to him and the smiling face of the person offering it. Didn't he get it?! With this, there was no doubt anymore that Vaati really was the Wind Mage - historical destructor of Hyrule, an evil presence that had to be sealed away. And yet here was Link, smiling at the selfsame Mage.

Footsteps echoed on the stone floor, and the two turned to look at the group gathering in the Sanctuary entrance. There were several Sheikah agents and priests, Impa pushing her way through as they looked. Vaati's stomach pinched at the absolute fury etched into the tall woman's face. Beside him, he heard Link mutter, "Snap."

"What is going on?" Impa asked in a low voice, each word an icicle.

Vaati opened his mouth to reply, but Link beat him to it. "I removed the Four Sword from its pedestal."

"You -?! You had no permission to do so, Link!"

"I know. I knew you wouldn't grant it, either. But it was the only sure way to get Vaati's magic." How could Link stay so calm?

Impa's red eyes turned to Vaati, and he tensed. "Why are you here with Link?"

"I saw him sneaking down here, and I followed him..."

"Where is the Four Sword?"

"Uh, somewhere over there." Link pointed to the other side of the cavern. One of the Sheikah agents scanned the area with their flashlight, quickly finding it by its gleaming hiltstone. He hesitated to pick it up, however. Link called out, "It should be safe to touch now."

Father Gaepora came rushing to Impa's side, face red from running. "What has happened?!"

Impa shook her head, braid whipping from side to side. "Let's discuss this somewhere else. Link, Vaati, come with us. My agents will secure the area." Her tone left no room for discussion, and the two students obediently followed after her.

* * *

"I see. So, by undoing the seal completely, you were able to unlock Enlil's magic and also confirm that he really is the Wind Mage."

"Yeah," Link answered seriously.

They were holding a meeting in Impa's guest room, with Zelda present as well. She had already checked over Vaati and confirmed that his magic power was flowing freely now. The way she had breathed in sharply at first made Vaati uneasy; was his magic really that scary to her?

"That was an incredibly reckless thing to do," Impa said severely. "You were warned about the dangers of removing the Four Sword. Not only was it dangerous for yourself, you endangered those around you, including Enlil. What if his body had not been able to handle the sudden amount of energy? What if it had gone completely out of control and caused the Sanctuary to collapse?"

"I did think of those things... I knew the danger. It's not like I had no plan for if things went wrong. I am your student, after all." Link's eyes did not waver as he spoke; Vaati had to admire him for not flinching under Impa's icy glare.

"Plan or not, you went against orders. I will let you off with a warning this time since you are not one to do this normally. Next time, however, I will be forced to consider suspending you from the agency. Is that understood?"

Link bowed his head. "Understood."

Impa turned her sharp gaze to Vaati next. "As for you, we expect you to keep your magic under control and a secret at all costs."

"Yes, I understand," Vaati muttered. Like he wanted to go around showing off his magic now.

"Otherwise, proceed as you all have until I have further orders. The three of you are dismissed. Father Gaepora, I would like to speak more with you."

The three students filed out of Impa's room and shuffled down the hall in solemn silence. They are only a few doors down, though, when Link let out an exaggerated sigh and collapsed against the wall.

"Geez, I thought for sure I was dead meat," he gasped. "I've seen agents kicked out for less... Guess maybe she does have a soft spot for me!"

Vaati narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "How can you always be so carefree?" he growled under his breath.

"But everything turned out alright, didn't it?"

"How is it alright?!" Vaati whipped around to face Link. Wind whistled through the cracks in the wooden floor. "In case you haven't gotten it through your thick head already, I. Am. The Wind Mage."

"Vaati -" Zelda timidly tried to interject, but Link's reply cut her off.

The blonde jabbed a finger at Vaati's chest. "And in case _you_ haven't gotten it through _your_ thick head already, I. Don't. Care. You have the magic of some evil old sorcerer - I don't care about that. What's important is that you want to use that magic in any way _but_ how he used it. Think about it - I'm a spy with the skills and ability to deceive and kill. But that's not what bothers you, right? What bothers you is that I used my lies against you. You've never purposefully used your power against anyone, Vaati. Accidentally, sure, but that happens to everyone. You could turn into a giant bat right now and I wouldn't think any differently." Link jabbed Vaati's chest again emphatically. "What matters is that you want to be a better person than the Wind Mage was. And I believe in that." The hard glint in his blue eyes softened somewhat, and he smiled weakly. "Of course, you probably think I'm lying. It's up to you to believe me or not. Good night." Link turned and trotted down to his room, quickly escaping.

Vaati was left feeling frustrated and tired, the wind still whistling under his feet in response to his emotions. "I don't understand him at all!" he snapped.

He was reminded that Zelda was still there when she squeaked slightly. Her eyes were round and nervous, but she spoke when he looked over at her. "Maybe you don't need to understand him, just... believe in him, too. I... I'm going back to bed as well." The blonde ducked her head and slipped past Vaati.

With nowhere else to go, Vaati, too, returned to his guest room. He dropped onto his back on his bed. Not too long ago, his whole body had been alive with energy, but now he felt completely drained. Things like being the Wind Mage, understanding Link... those would have to wait. He didn't even worry about having nightmares this time; within moments of closing his eyes, Vaati was deep in sleep, far away from any dreams or worries.

* * *

 _Week 14, Tuesday, 3:00pm_

 _Saria Park_

There were just enough leaves left on the ground for the wind to pick up and play with. Most of them had already fallen from their homes in the trees and been collected, taken away somewhere to be burned, probably. Vaati watched the lone leaves dancing and skipping in the wind from his seat on the bench. They died down, however, after a while.

Experimentally, Vaati lifted a hand out towards the leaves, sweeping it gently to the side. A small gust of wind picked up the leaves, matching the movement of his hand. He moved it the other way, and the wind changed direction, carrying the leaves the other way. To an onlooker, it might look just like a fickle wind, but Vaati could _feel_ the wind, the way it followed his moments, the texture of the leaves riding it.

Even though Impa had told him to keep his magic a secret, Vaati had come to the park every day since returning to the Academy, experimenting with the wind. As long as no one suspected the strangely energetic wind, he saw no harm in it. After all, he finally had the magic he'd sought for so long.

Ha. Yeah, he'd gotten what he wished for, alright, and a whole lot more. Now he had his magic, but he wasn't even allowed to use it, nor did he really want to use it, to an extent. It was a cursed power, a mark of his true identity as the Wind Mage. He lowered his hand and the leaves dropped to the ground.

Vaati felt lost. Now that he had his magic, he no longer needed to spend all his free time researching how to recover it, but he also couldn't use his free time to practice his magic beyond blowing around leaves. There had been no orders or news from Impa concerning Ghirahim or the Yiga, either.

Of course, he had schoolwork and end-of-semester projects to work on, but his motivation for doing such things had died. He couldn't help thinking that it was pointless now. Who would grant the Wind Mage a degree or a job? Did he even deserve things like that? (Oh stop wallowing in self-pity, Porcupine!)

On top of that, he hadn't spoken to Link hardly at all since that night. It was normal for Vaati, of course, but when Link only ever said "Morning", "Hey", and "See ya", he couldn't help but feel that his roommate was avoiding him. It was different than that week after Link got out of the hospital; that time, Link had wavered between acting normal around Vaati and running from him, always very aware and on edge around him. Now, it was like Link barely acknowledged Vaati's presence.

It frustrated Vaati. If Link was going to spout off things like believing in him, why was he avoiding him like an unwanted nuisance now?! And the fact that it frustrated him made him even more frustrated - he shouldn't care how Link acted around him. They were just co-workers. Perhaps that's why Link was acting that way, he told himself. He was trying to be professional.

 _But I don't like the professional Link._

Vaati stood up abruptly, a gust of wind shaking the grass at his feet. What kind of thought was that?! Was he a child? It didn't matter if he liked it or not; it was what it was, and it was better this way.

He couldn't chase away the thought, though, that it'd be nice to go back to how things were before: just normal students, normal roommates, normal friends.


	22. Chapter 21

A/N: Happy New Year! Break time is over - time to get back to writing! With all that heavy plot development lately, I say it's time for some Laati development.

Mari: Lolol your comment really confused me at first. 'Link's voice in Vaati's head...? I don't remember writing that.' So I looked back, and... that was me telling Vaati to quit moping. Wooooooops, someone needs to proofread better XP I sometimes stick in comments as I write, but they're _supposed_ to be edited out XD

Okyaku-san: Well, I was thinking that the Four Sword no longer has enough power to split Link into four. It barely had enough power to keep Vaati's magic sealed. Vaati didn't even need to worry about being sealed inside it, not in the state it's in right now. Who knows, maybe they'll restore the sword, and then we'll torture Vaati with four Links! ...or maybe not - he really might have an aneurysm XD

lordvaatithewindmage: Vaati does need some hugs! I mean, he'd probably just push us away, but... Anyway, I'm looking forward to when he'll have free rein to use his magic, too!

Welcome to WrittenIllusion and gummysnakes!

* * *

Chapter 21

 _Friday, 11:13am_

 _Location: Wheaton and Pita Cafe and Bakery, downtown Castletown_

Vaati stared at the passersby hurrying past the cafe windows, everyone bundled up to ward off the unreasonably low temperature, no one sparing a glance his way as they rushed to their destinations. He himself was mostly warm, sitting inside with a half-empty cup of tea cradled in one hand. His hair was mostly hidden under a knit cap and he still had his coat on. It looked as though he were ready to leave any minute now.

The violet-haired man pulled out his phone impatiently and checked the messages for the twentieth time.

 _Hey, handsome. You should go to Wheaton and Pita's at 11. You might find something interesting._

 _This is Aveil, by the way. I'm sure you can guess how I got your number - Link is such a nice kid, isn't he?_

 _Best of luck, handsome! We should chat sometime._

Vaati scowled and tossed his head around to glare at everyone inside the cafe. There wasn't anything interesting at all - a couple on a brunch date, an old woman reading a book, three college students chatting together, the cafe owner and his daughter - nothing particularly strange, unique, or otherwise to merit his attention. The only reason he had followed Aveil's suggestion was because he really had nothing better to do. Link was nowhere to be found when he woke up, he had very little homework, and it was too cold out to practice with the wind.

He took a sip of tea, then grimaced at the bitter taste. He'd let it steep too long. With a sigh, Vaati grabbed the paper cup and headed towards the nearest trash can, which was by the entrance. As he tossed the still half-full cup into the can, the bell on the front door jingled, and he glanced up. Two pairs of blue eyes met his.

"Ah... hey, Vaati," his roommate greeted him, quickly getting over his surprise and speaking in a casual tone. Behind Link, Zelda dipped her head almost apologetically.

Vaati's gaze swept over the two. His roommate was looking at him with a perfectly neutral expression, while Zelda darted her eyes from one face to another. It had not escaped Vaati's notice that Zelda had been holding Link's arm as they entered. "Nice to see you spending time with everyone but me," he muttered, directing the comment towards Link. Louder, he added, "I was leaving anyways, so just ignore me like you've been doing all week." Without waiting for a reply, he pushed Link out of the way and strode out into the wintry street.

Several paces later, however, Vaati halted. Was that what Aveil meant by 'something interesting' - Link and Zelda going out for brunch? What, was he supposed to stick around and watch the two of them being buddy-buddy with each other? Perhaps they were talking about Sheikah-related things; after all, Zelda had been one of Link's confidantes for a while now. He didn't have any way to listen in on their conversation, however, not without them noticing.

Vaati sighed. He'd just go the old-fashioned route: question Zelda afterwards. In the meantime, he entered a nearby bookstore to escape the cold and pulled out his phone.

 _Link and Zelda - is that what you meant?_

He stared at his phone for a long time after he sent the message, but Aveil didn't reply right away. He was impatiently typing out another message when she finally replied.

 _Aveil: I heard Link has been ignoring you. I wonder why..._

 _Vaati: What, does Zelda have something to do with it? That doesn't make sense, though_

 _A: Maybe she knows. I just so happen to have her number_

 _V: ...are you a Sheikah agent?_

 _A: Oh, no, I'm retired, you know. Consider me a free agent. Anyways, handsome, would you like that number?_

 _V: What do you want in return?_

 _A: Nothing - I'm doing you a favor because I like you. Oh, but I meant it when I said I would like to have a nice talk with you, so just keep your weekend open. Here's the number: xxx-xxxx. Good luck!_

Vaati turned off his phone screen and shoved it into his coat pocket. That Aveil woman... he had no clue what her motives were. She seemed like she was rather affectionate towards Link; maybe she was trying to help Link and Vaati patch up their relationship. He felt uneasy about her 'free agent' status. It meant she had the ability to monitor them and gather information, but completely for her own purposes. Link trusted her, though...

With a discontent grumble, he pulled his phone out once again, texting Zelda's number, telling her to meet him at the bookstore after she was done with Link. To his relief, she replied that she would be there at one. At least Aveil had given him the right number.

* * *

As they sat across from one another at one of the tables in the back of the bookstore, Vaati was beginning to realize that every conversation he ever had with Zelda felt like he was conducting an interrogation, with him snapping questions and her stammering and nervous. It was probably not the best method, but he just automatically acted that way around her. He wondered if it had anything to do with his past self - the Wind Mage had, after all, been sealed as a result of several Princess Zeldas. This Zelda was a direct descendant, the modern princess, though without the title.

Did that make Link the Hero, then? he wondered. The thought made his chest prick with an odd ache. He had no desire to be enemies with Link, nor Zelda, for that matter. But if the legends of the past were true, he might have no choice. After all, Link had been able to pull the Four Sword from its pedestal - according to legend, only the Princess or the Hero could do that. Then again, the sword had been in pretty bad condition...

Zelda cleared her throat nervously, and Vaati snapped back to attention. Those things weren't relevant right now. "How'd your date with Link go?" he asked. Then he cringed minutely, surprised at the question and how bitter he'd sounded.

"N-no, it wasn't a date or anything!" Zelda quickly contradicted him, cheeks turning pink. "It was just... ah... well, a-anyway, we're just friends."

For some reason, Vaati felt a sense of relief at that statement. He ignored the feeling and moved on to his next question. "Is he alright? I mean... he's been ignoring me ever since we left the Abbey. I can't tell what that idiot is thinking anymore. He used to go off about not being able to get rid of him, but now he'll barely speak to me. You probably know something, right? Since he spends all his time with you lately..."

"No, you're right. Link hasn't been himself. He... doesn't talk very much about you lately." Zelda traced a finger along the edge of the table, not meeting Vaati's eyes, as usual. "But I haven't asked him why. I feel like he's fighting with something. I don't want to pry..."

So Link usually talked about him? Zelda had said something similar in one of their conversations before, now that he thought about it. "Have either of you heard from Impa recently?"

Zelda shook her head. "I believe she is still busy investigating the Four Sword with Father Gaepora. I... I did hear something from Aveil, though... Do you know Aveil?"

"Yeah. She's the one that gave me your number."

"Oh. Well, it isn't related to the Four Sword, but she said that one of the Sheikah's best agents was almost killed by Ghirahim, a few days before you and Link were attacked. Apparently that agent is one of Link's close friends. Link still tried to fight Ghirahim, even though he knew how dangerous it was... Ah, I suppose what I'm trying to say is... Link definitely considers you as his close friend. So it worries me, too, that he will barely even talk about you now..."

"That idiot..." Vaati muttered, resting his head on one hand. "Good thing I was there to save his skin. What, did he think he was courageous or something, fighting someone he knew was stronger than him?" He was talking more to himself than to Zelda.

"I'm sorry I couldn't really be of more help," the blonde girl apologized. She timidly looked up at Vaati's face. "I can let you know if I hear anything..."

He glanced at her, then nodded. "This wasn't a complete waste of time."

They exchanged farewells, and Zelda left the bookstore, leaving Vaati to sort out his thoughts. There was no doubt that something was wrong with Link. There had to be some factor unknown to the two of them that was making Link act this way. He had a feeling Aveil knew; she just didn't want to tell him outright for some reason.

 _Vaati: I talked with Zelda. She doesn't know anything. Had enough fun teasing me yet?_

 _Aveil: Oh, I've barely started! But I won't put you in a bad mood. Let's chat on Sunday - 11 at Wheaton and Pita's._

Somehow, he was really not looking forward to it.

* * *

 _Saturday, 2:30pm_

 _Location: Saria Park_

The weather wasn't quite so wintry the next day, so Vaati ventured out to the park to toss around some leaves and kill time. Link was still ignoring him, and he hadn't heard from either Zelda or Aveil. There was someone else in the park when he got there, though, sitting outside with some books. Vaati squinted, recognizing the red hair and glasses - Marin. She was staring up at the sky, a book open in her lap. On a whim, he walked over to her bench.

She must have been really lost in thought, because she startled when Vaati asked, "Marin, right?"

Marin whipped her head around and blinked. "Oh, Vaati, hi!" she greeted him with a wave and a smile. "Been a while!"

"Yeah." Vaati only said that one word, watching her face closely with a serious expression. There was probably little chance that she knew about why Link was ignoring him. But he decided to ask anyway. "You're friends with Link, right?"

Nodding in the affirmative, Marin cocked her head. "We're pretty friendly classmates. I'd say you guys are better friends."

Vaati looked away. "Not anymore."

"What?! What happened?" Marin exclaimed in concern. Vaati flinched; did she need to shout? "This is the first I've heard of it!"

"...Various things. He... lied to me about something rather important." He suddenly stopped, his forehead scrunching, and he squinted in confusion. "Wait, why am I telling you this?" He was supposed to be asking her about Link's behavior, not complaining about their relationship.

"Well, you probably don't have anyone to talk with about it, do you?" Marin replied enthusiastically. She patted the bench. "I'll listen if you want!"

It wasn't that he didn't have anyone, it was that he didn't want to talk about it. And yet, he didn't reject her right away. Instead, he squinted at her for a long moment, then scowled slightly. Maybe he did want someone to complain to, after all... "Only if you promise not to tell Link anything."

"Of course!" Marin agreed quickly.

Vaati sat down awkwardly on the other end of the bench with Marin, not looking at her face and not speaking for a while. Then he sighed. "I've never had a friend before," he admitted, "and I didn't want any. But you know Link - he doesn't take no for an answer. He insisted on being my friend, and eventually, I gave in. But then I found out he had only become my friend because he could use me to get something he wanted." He had to be vague - obviously he couldn't tell Marin that her classmate was a spy.

"Really? That doesn't sound like Link," Marin said softly.

"Yeah. I thought he was too stupid to have ulterior motives." Vaati paused for a long time, then sighed and pulled his bangs away from his eye, scowling at the sky. "But for some reason, he still insisted on trying to be friendly. Grinning like nothing was wrong, talking even when I told him to shut up, putting himself in danger to protect me... He even helped me with my lifelong dream." The mage dropped his hand. He thought talking about it was supposed to make him feel better, but it was just making his chest feel heavy. "Just when I'm getting used to that, he starts ignoring me. I should be happy that he's finally leaving me alone, but I'm not. I just feel... frustrated."

"That sounds like a regular old quarrel to me," Marin replied musingly. Vaati smirked without humor; if only she knew how far from normal it was. "I mean, not that that makes it any less serious! But... If you're frustrated that he's ignoring you, it's probably because you don't want to stop being noticed by him. In other words, you still want to be friends with him. But if you let him keep ignoring you, you might lose the chance to be friends again." Marin smiled at Vaati gently. "I'm sure he would like to be your friend again, too."

Vaati finally turned his head to look at her, his forehead knitted in a deep frown. Her words were making his chest feel even more heavy, for some reason. "Why are you friends with him? What's the benefit?"

"Benefit? I just feel comfortable around him, and we make each other laugh, and we help each other out. It's not for any benefit. I just like being around him. That's all there is to being friends, isn't it?"

Giving a small laugh, Vaati shook his head, his frown not disappearing completely. "He told me something similar. 'I'm your friend because I like you. Don't ask why I like you - I just do.'"

"Well, apparently you have the same unexplainable feeling for him. You just have to let him know that." Marin gave Vaati a pat on the shoulder and a smile. "You can do it!"

Vaati stared at her a while. She made it sound so easy. Was that really all there was to it - liking one another and accepting each other? Perhaps it was because he had never had a friend, but it just didn't feel so simple to him. He stood. "I can see why you two get along. You're a lot alike. Well, whatever." He glanced down at Marin and hesitated, then said quickly, "Thanks for listening," and immediately started walking off.

* * *

 _Sunday, 10:56am_

 _Location: Wheaton and Pita's_

"Look at you, here early!" Aveil greeted Vaati with that smile that made him feel she was complimenting him like he was a well-behaved child. She gestured towards the bakery counter, bracelets jingling with the movement. "Let's get something to eat before we get down to business. My treat."

"I'm fine," Vaati replied shortly.

The Gerudo shook her head. "If you insist. I'll be just a moment."

He watched the woman saunter over to the counter, her large ponytail swaying and high heels clicking on the floor. Several other pairs of eyes followed her movements. Was she really a former spy? He couldn't imagine how she'd ever sneak around anywhere without drawing attention. Even if she were to wear less curve-hugging clothes, flashy jewelry, and makeup, Vaati knew her natural beauty would attract the gaze of more than one person. But maybe she wasn't the kind of spy that snuck around.

She sauntered back to their table by the window and set down a steaming cup of coffee and a croissant. "You really should try the croissants," Aveil said. "They are world-famous. Well, almost."

"I didn't come here for the croissants. I want to know what's going on with Link."

"Are you worried about your dear roommate?" she replied with a calm smile.

"I'm annoyed that he's ignoring me. That's all."

Aveil tore her croissant in half, her golden eyes watching the steam rise from the fresh pastry. "If he had a choice, he wouldn't be ignoring you, I can tell you that." She offered a half to Vaati, then shrugged when he denied. "Impa threatened to take him off the case."

Vaati took a moment to process this. "You mean... remove him from the Academy?"

The Gerudo nodded. "He would no longer be your guardian, so to speak; someone else would be assigned to watch over and protect you."

"But why is he ignoring me? Why didn't he tell me about that?"

"Because you're the reason he's one strike away from leaving." Aveil stuffed one half of her croissant in her mouth, setting the other half back down on her plate and flicking crumbs off of her fingers. Vaati said nothing; he didn't completely understand what she was saying. When she had finished chewing, she continued, "He got one strike for trying to fight Ghirahim. You heard how one of their best agents almost died? Impa was a little miffed at Link for being so reckless. Link put himself in extreme danger to protect you. And then the second strike was the Four Sword. He went against orders. Impa could have removed him right then and there, you know. That was for you, too, Vaati."

"Well, yes, he was being an idiot, but isn't he supposed to be helping me?" Vaati replied. "That's kind of his job right now, isn't it?"

Aveil laughed as though his reply were the cutest thing. "Only to an extent. He went too far. Do you remember that I told you Link has very few friends? Why do you think that is?"

"Because he's a spy. That's obvious now."

"Hm, I don't think you see the whole picture, though. Link likes you quite a lot. But he shouldn't. He's a spy, and spies shouldn't have any emotional attachments. Part of the reason I quit," she laughed, the sound not matching the seriousness of her words.

She picked up her cup of coffee and blew on the surface, steam swirling up as she did so. Vaati stared at her but his mind didn't register her movements. He was beginning to understand now, and he mentally kicked himself for not realizing earlier. As a spy, Link was restricted from things like friendship or love, because it could compromise his position, make him vulnerable. Impa saw Link's actions as signs of emotional attachment to Vaati, and threatened to remove him from the case if he didn't get his feelings in order. And so, Link was ignoring Vaati so that he could stay on the case.

"You look like you get it now," Aveil commented after several moments of silence. "So what are you going to do?"

He lifted his gaze and met her golden eyes. "What do you mean, what am I going to do? I can't do anything. I don't want Link to..." He hesitated, then figured it didn't matter anymore and finished, "I don't want him to leave."

Aveil tapped a manicured finger on the rim of her cup. "You know what I love about being a free agent? If someone wants my services, they have to follow my requests - for example, if I want a specific partner. If I don't get what I want, then they don't get my cooperation. Simple as that."

Slowly, Vaati's frown eased, and he scoffed lightly. "You sure have a roundabout way of saying things."

"It's more fun this way," Aveil grinned.

"Any more cryptic advice or information I should know?"

"Oh, no. Actually, I had some questions for you." The way she smiled this time made Vaati shift nervously. "Your relationship with my dear nephew... are you sure it's only friendship?"

So that's the kind of smile it was. Vaati immediately snapped back, "Yes, it's only - I'm not gay, why do people keep - agh!"

Aveil positively giggled at him, covering her mouth with one hand to contain her laughter. "You probably don't know the difference between friendship and romance, since you've never experienced either, right?"

"I'm not an idiot! Of course I know the difference. Why are we even discussing this?!"

"Oh, for Link's sake, of course. I'm fairly certain of how he feels about you, but with his situation right now, I thought it would be better not to ask him about it. Since you're a free agent, you can feel however you want about him."

"What makes you think I feel anything like that?!"

The Gerudo took a long, slow sip of her coffee, eyes on Vaati the whole time. "It's my specialty. It's all about a sort of tension. With friends, there is very little tension in the relationship - unless they're fighting, of course. Physical contact, being alone together, personal conversations... all of these lack tension when between friends. When the feelings are of attraction, however... For example, when Link had his concussion and accidentally slept in your bed - I see your ears turning pink! See, there's that tension. If he were just a friend, just a roommate, or even just one of the guys in your dorm, you wouldn't be bothered like that." She held up a finger. "Another example. You're in the locker room with a bunch of guys, changing into your gym clothes. No big deal, right? But what if you walk into your dorm room right as Link is taking his shirt off?"

Vaati stood abruptly. "There's nothing like that going on!" he snapped. "I'm done with this chat." He marched quickly out of the cafe.

What kinds of insane things was Aveil thinking?! He knew he shouldn't let it bother him so much; she was probably just teasing him again, and he was giving her exactly the reaction she'd wanted. All he had wanted to know was how to patch up his friendship with Link. This had nothing to do with keeping Link on the case.

Vaati cursed how his heartbeat had jumped when Aveil mentioned Link taking off his shirt. Now that he thought about it, he never had seen Link undress. His pulse jumped again. What was he getting... _nervous_ about? He'd seen tons of guys undress, had undressed alongside them, had taken showers with them. So why did thinking about Link like that make his face go warm and his mind haste to think of something else?

He focused him mind on the other things Aveil had said - specifically, about being a free agent. The solution to keeping Link on the case was simple: Vaati only had to tell the Sheikah that he would not cooperate if Link was replaced. He wasn't sure how much weight his demand would carry. Hopefully, the fact that he was the Wind Mage and that the Yiga wanted him on their side would be enough to convince the Sheikah to grant his request. He would only find out by trying.


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: Love is FINALLY in the air! At last, true Laati development.

Mari: I took your suggestion and incorporated it into this chapter, I hope you don't mind!

Hello and welcome to Vigriff, NorthHylian, and esty1315! Thank you for following this story!

* * *

Chapter 22

 _Week 15, Monday, 2:00pm_

 _Nohansen Library_

If Vaati paid more attention, he would have noticed that Marin kept popping up wherever he went. Like right now - the redhead was sitting at a table just barely in sight from where the mage was typing on his laptop. Fortunately for Link, he wasn't that observant, and so she kept her watch on him from afar. This tactic kept her at a distance from Vaati, physically and (hopefully) emotionally. It had all been going well, she thought, until that conversation in the park.

She just hadn't been able to resist the opportunity to hear Vaati's thoughts; he so rarely opened up, and after everything that had happened the last few weeks, his head must have been full. All throughout the conversation, though, Link had been mentally slapping herself. It didn't helping her with her emotional attachment to Vaati! And yet, she had kept speaking freely. Maybe it was because she was 'Marin' at that moment, not Link, that she could let herself speak so honestly. It was amazing how completely she could get in character sometimes.

She just hoped Impa didn't count it as a penalty, if she found out. Vaati hadn't acted any differently towards her since that conversation; it seemed like he'd become resigned to being ignored. She did catch him staring at her a lot during their Mythology class, though. He'd quickly look away whenever she glanced at him. Link couldn't help but wonder if his _other_ conversation that weekend was to blame.

Per usual, when Vaati went out on Sunday morning, Link had popped in her earbuds and listened in on what he was doing. Not per usual, shortly after she heard a familiar voice greet Vaati, the feed had filled with static, making it impossible to hear anything. This would have made her anxious, except the voice she had heard was Aveil's. The Gerudo knew about the bugs on Vaati. Most likely, she had brought a disruption device to make sure Link didn't listen in on her conversation with Vaati.

That had just made Link extremely curious. What would Aveil possibly have to say to Vaati that she didn't want Link to know about? She'd thrown on a random disguise and made her way to Wheaton and Pita's, only to see Vaati storm out of the cafe, face flushed with anger. Aveil, for her part, had looked rather pleased with herself.

Link hadn't bothered asking Aveil about it; she'd gone through the trouble of disrupting the bug, sending Link a clear signal that that conversation was not for her ears. The Gerudo was infuriatingly good at keeping secrets when it suited her. Vaati's upset expression kept nagging at her, though.

Well, there wasn't anything she could do about it. Just keep on keeping her distance, doing her job as a spy, not prying into Vaati's business just because she was curious.

It was really boring. And a tad frustrating. But if she wanted to stay on the case, bored and frustrated she would have to be.

* * *

 _Tuesday, 2:52am_

 _Link and Vaati's room_

She woke up to silence again. Groggily, Link sat up, brushing her messy hair out of her face, and waited for the sound she knew had woken her up. It came a few moments later: a series of strained mumbles, just loud enough for her to hear.

Link tossed her blanket to the side and slid out of bed. How many times was this now since they'd returned from the Abbey? It felt like almost every night now she woke up to the same mumbles and groans. Silently she crept across the room to her roommate's bed.

Sure enough, Vaati was lying in a twisted, tangled mess of blankets, breathing heavily and talking in his sleep. Link settled herself on the floor next to the bed. There was no moon out, but she knew his face must have been drawn into a grimace, sweat on his forehead, his hands clenching at the blankets.

He murmured and mumbled the same things: about the never-ending darkness, how time ceased to be, how he was going to fade away. Link listened to it all, listened to him call out her name, listened to him fall back into the darkness.

She knew what his nightmare was now. Back when he had grabbed the Four Sword and passed out, Vaati had spoken about the same darkness, and that's when Link understood: his nightmare was about his prison within the Four Sword. The Link in his dream was not her, but one of the Heroes of the past that had fought the Wind Mage. Vaati was caught in the nightmares of his past life.

"I wish I could free you," she murmured. "I thought I did when I pulled out the Four Sword, but your nightmares got worse... Sorry..."

Eventually, Vaati's mumbles faded and he seemed to escape the nightmare. Link remained where she was, though, seated cross-legged on the wooden floor next to his bed, watching his chest rise and fall. She slid a hand up but hesitated to touch him, afraid he'd wake up.

"You know, Vaati, sometimes I wish I wasn't a spy. But then we wouldn't have met, I guess. And if I quit being a spy, I wouldn't be allowed to stay here, either. Maybe we can't be friends anymore. That's okay. I'm happy knowing we were friends at one point, and that you still want to be friends. That's enough..." Link barely touched the back of Vaati's hand with her fingers. Her eyelids were drifting closed. "As a spy, I can make sure you won't get trapped in the darkness. I can be your roommate, and protect you from people like Ghirahim. That's the sign of my friendship with you, even if we can't be friends like before..."

She drifted asleep before she could stop herself, hand outstretched towards Vaati.

* * *

"Wake up, Link!"

Her eyes slowly cracked open and she lifted her head, wincing. Her neck ached and didn't want to turn all the way. Besides that, both legs were asleep. Groaning, Link stretched out her arms and blinked groggily, working out the kink in her neck.

"Why were you sleeping half on my bed?" her roommate, who was crouching next to her, demanded.

"Uhh... sleepwalking?" Link replied. She pulled herself to her feet and grimaced. Both legs pricked with a thousand invisible needles, and she had to hold onto the bedpost to keep her balance. "Gimme a minute..."

Vaati glared at her rather fiercely. He seemed more bothered than she would expect; it wasn't like she had crawled into bed with him again. When she turned away to walk to her own bed, Vaati suddenly grabbed her arm. "Stop. Just... stop."

She tilted her head questioningly. "Uh, stop what? I'm just going over to my own bed."

"Stop pretending. And lying, and ignoring me, and -" Vaati halted, his grip on her arm loosening slightly and his gaze growing less fierce. "You can't fool me with a weak excuse like that. I was having a nightmare, wasn't I? This isn't the first time I've seen you sleeping by my bed. And you said it yourself - my nightmares keep you up. So tell me again that it was just sleepwalking."

Why was he so serious about this? Link's tired morning brain had no quick reply, so she didn't answer.

Vaati apparently took the silence as an answer. He finally let go of Link's arm, his expression a mix of frustration and something Link thought was - pain? "Just quit the act. You can't ignore me all day and then try to help me through my nightmares at night." He glanced down, then took a breath and stated quickly, "I heard about Impa threatening to take you off the case."

That snapped Link out of her sleepiness. Oh, Din, he wasn't supposed to find out about that! He was the one person she needed to keep it a secret from. "That - how -" she stammered. Then her mind caught up, and she ran a hand through her loose hair. "Wait, is _that_ what Aveil was talking to you about?"

"Basically," Vaati replied after a brief hesitation.

"What exactly did she tell you?" Link pressed, resisting the urge to pace anxiously. When her roommate didn't answer right away, she grabbed both of his arms, arresting his attention. "Really, what'd she tell you? This is kinda important!"

Vaati pushed her arms away and took a step back. She wondered if she'd surprised him by how anxious she was getting. "Just that you'll get removed if you do anything crazy because of me again. And that's why you've been avoiding me all week. That's all..."

She could see the way he struggled to keep his eyes on her face - which meant he was still hiding something. It probably didn't matter, though; the damage was already done. Link took a deep breath and walked over to her bed, flopping face-down onto the mattress. What was she supposed to do now? She turned her face so she could see Vaati. He was staring at the curtains over the window, his expression hidden behind his long bangs.

"Well... it's good news, isn't it?"

Vaati looked over when she spoke, squinting at her. "What's good news?"

"You can finally get rid of your noisy, nosy roommate and get an agent that's actually professional. One that doesn't flirt with you or get you into trouble or pretend to be your friend." Link gave Vaati her most cheerful smile. "So it's good news."

There it was again - that look of pain and frustration. Her roommate narrowed his eyes and marched over to her bed, glaring down at the blonde. "No, idiot, it's not. I don't want to work with some random agent who will only be waiting for me to slip up so he can label me as the evil Wind Mage. I want someone who forgets that I'm the Wind Mage, who believes I can be someone good, who thinks I should use my magic for something dumb like making a frisbee fly forever. Maybe you lied about who you are and who knows what else, but at least you never lied when you said you were my friend. I finally got that through my thick head, and I finally realized that I actually like having you around, and if Impa doesn't like it, she'll have an angry Wind Mage to deal with."

Link rolled on her side so she could see Vaati better, frowning at her roommate. "Where's my Porcupine and what have you done with him?" It wasn't like him to express his feelings so honestly.

"Can you be serious for once?! I'm saying I want you to stay, to be friends again. I just - I don't know what to do without you!" Vaati snapped in reply. He cringed the next moment, shaking his head. "That came out wrong. That's not quite..." He growled and turned away from Link. The tips of his ears were red.

"So you do have a heart under all those needles," Link replied softly. She quickly turned her face and buried it in her blankets, hiding her expression from Vaati as well. Happiness tinged with pain, so strong it hurt, was making her eyes prick with tears.

Vaati didn't hate her. He didn't want her to leave. She hadn't realized just how afraid she'd been of him hating her forever. Since when had she wanted someone to like her this badly? There was Sheik, back when she was in training, but that was a little different. And Link still couldn't explain just why she'd become so attached to Vaati. All she knew was, finally, _finally_ she had a true friend.

"I meant what I said," Vaati spoke up after a while. Link kept her face buried in her blankets. "I'll do what I can to make sure Impa doesn't take you off the case. Tell her you're a good influence on me or something."

Link laughed into the blankets, then lifted her face to grin at Vaati, not caring if he saw how red her eyes were. "You bet I'm a good influence!" She paused, then added in a more serious but still happy tone, "Thanks, Vaati."

He scowled at her and looked away. "Yeah, whatever. Don't make it anymore awkward than it already is..." he ended in a mutter.

With a chuckle that was less than innocent, Link hopped out of her bed and walked over to he roommate. Before he had a chance to react, she threw her arms around him, hugging him from the side. He immediately shouted in protest and tried to push her away, but she just laughed and held on tighter despite the hands desperately flailing at her. "Come on, Vaati, you should've known I'd take that as a challenge!"

"Glad to see you're back to your normal annoying self," Vaati growled back. "Now get off!"

She let go after a moment, chuckling at Vaati's flustered reaction. Both students soon grew sober, though, as they thought about what was next. "Impa is _not_ going to be happy," Link murmured. She shook her head to clear out the last bits of sleepiness from her brain, loose hair whipping around her face. "This'll be a fun report! Oh well, I can handle an angry Sheikah agent. Better than an angry Wind Mage!" She winked at Vaati.

He was watching her as she spoke, and he didn't respond, only looked quickly away when she winked at him. He was still hiding something, wasn't he? But Link decided not to try to needle it out of her roommate. For now, she had a more important task on her hands: reporting to Impa.

* * *

 _6:42pm_

She decided to wait til after classes were done for the day before calling Impa. "Did you send me those photos from the temple yet?"

"No, I couldn't find the right stamps." Impa moved quickly from the pass phrase to asking what was going on. Her voice seemed more clipped than usual.

Link glanced over at Vaati. They were both sitting on her bed, Link's phone held out in front of them, the audio on speaker. "I have a report to make. Specifically, Vaati has a, uh, request."

"What kind of request?"

Link gestured to Vaati to speak. He sighed, then fairly glared at the phone. "If you take Link off of this case, I won't cooperate with the Sheikah anymore. And... I want a way to practice my magic. If I have to do it in a certain place or with supervision or whatever, fine. Just let me practice sometimes."

There was a tense moment of silence. Then, "I will consider both requests. However, I must ask your reason for wanting Link on the case. I am sure you are aware of his recent recklessness; he may not be the best agent for this particular situation."

"Because he..." Vaati seemed at a loss for how to explain it to Impa. He scowled. "He does the stupid things so that I don't. He keeps me out of trouble. It's better to have one agent that's slightly reckless than have the Wind Mage on the loose, right?"

"I suppose that is a fair enough point. Link, you are still expected to keep yourself in check."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," Link replied quickly, trying to mask her relief. She hadn't expected Impa to be so tolerable about the request.

"Expect to hear from me within the next few days, then. Is there anything else?"

There wasn't, so they wrapped up the call and hung up. Link turned to grin at Vaati. "That wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be! She kinda sounded like she was busy, though, so that might be why." Impa had seemed rather impatient and wanting to finish the conversation as quickly as possible. Maybe things weren't going well with the Four Sword investigation. Link hid away those thoughts and held up a hand for a high-five.

Vaati, as usual, declined to high-five, and stood up, walking over to his desk. "Now that we've gotten the drama out of the way, I can finally focus on my finals. Don't bother me."

"There's the Porcupine I know!" She received a withering glare in reply, but she just grinned back, knowing he wasn't actually annoyed with her. Things were finally back to normal.

* * *

 _Link:_

 _You, Enlil, and Miss Nohansen will spend the winter break at the Eastern Abbey to assist with the investigation there. Depart as soon as possible after the semester has ended. They have each been informed about this as well. You are not required to give reports the rest of the semester, unless something unusual should occur. Keep your wits about you._

 _-Impa_


	24. Chapter 23

A/N: 5,000 views, woo-hoo! I forgot to note this earlier, but the character Sheik in this story is completely separate from Zelda. I mean, you probably already figured that out...

For the first time in a while, I'm really happy with this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it, too!

Okyaku-san: Aw, happy birthday! Hehe, that was a nice coincidence!

lordvaatithewindmage: Oh yes, you definitely smell magic. And maybe pizza - I can't confirm that one for you XD

Hello to Night0Glider!

* * *

Chapter 23

 _Three weeks later..._

 _1:10pm_

 _Plateau Station_

"Get off of me already. The train's stopped." Vaati's voice and his shoulder shrugging her off woke Link from her nap that she'd been enjoying most of the train ride. She yawned and rubbed at the corner of her mouth. Yep, she'd been drooling. And from the way Vaati scowled at her, he'd definitely noticed.

They grabbed their luggage and exited the train. Immediately they were greeted by four figures: Impa, Aveil, Zelda (who had arrived the day before), and a blonde man with red eyes in a wheel chair. Link's eyes lit up when she saw him, and she dropped her bags on the platform, ignoring everyone but the man. "Sheik!" she shouted excitedly, running forward to throw her arms around him. She quickly let go, though, when he grunted. "Oh, sorry, still injured! But you're out of the hospital - that's great! What're you doing here?"

Sheik chuckled at Link's enthusiastic greeting. "Nice to see you, too, Link. I'm here to help how I can. I think Impa will explain everything when we get to the Abbey." His mouth twitched, like he wanted to frown. "I heard you went and brawled with Ghirahim, and only got a few scratches."

"Uh, yeah, er, Vaati kinda saved me..." Link replied. She could feel her ears growing warm. It wasn't like she'd done it to impress Sheik, but she still felt as though she'd let him down on that. After all, he was the one that had warned her not to fight Ghirahim in the first place.

The Sheikah craned his neck to look at Vaati, who was still standing behind Link. "Thanks for keeping him out of trouble."

"I didn't do it for you," was Vaati's short reply. His eyes were narrowed in a glare.

Link heard a small laugh come from Aveil's direction, and she cast her gaze back and forth between Vaati and Sheik; by the way he was scowling, it looked like Vaati didn't like Sheik, though she couldn't imagine why. Sheik was fairly friendly but also professional, not noisy and energetic like Link. If anything, she thought Vaati would get along well with him.

"If you two are ready," Impa interrupted the terse quiet in her usual clipped tone, addressing Link and Vaati, "we'll go to the Abbey now."

Link grabbed her bags again and nodded. Impa led the group to the elevator, Aveil pushing Sheik's wheelchair. The train station was located underground; to get to the top of the plateau was about eight stories. Somehow they all crowded into one elevator.

"What're _you_ doing here?" Link nudged Aveil with her elbow.

"Aw, you don't sound so happy to see me," she smirked back playfully.

"Well, maybe if you didn't stick your nose in my business."

"Oh, I thought I was being quite helpful. You can't deny that things turned out well."

Link huffed and rolled her eyes. "I won't confirm it, either."

They both smiled and chuckled at the same time. Link knew that Aveil and Sheik were only there for 'business' reasons, but she was still happy to have everyone together at the same time. She glanced around the elevator car at everyone: her guardian Impa, mentor Aveil, comrade and rival Sheik, and her friends Vaati and Zelda. All of her favorite people.

The upper station entrance was only a short distance from the Abbey. Link noticed with some curiosity the lack of crowds on the streets near the Abbey. Even in the winter, it was a popular tourist attraction. Then she saw a sign outside the entrance: _Closed for repairs._ Something told her it wasn't actually repairs they were closed for.

Once the group entered the Abbey's grand foyer, Impa had Link and Vaati follow her to their guest quarters - the same rooms they had stayed at before - while the others went a different direction. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallways. Link caught glimpses of monks here and there, but otherwise the Abbey seemed almost abandoned. They dropped off their luggage, then trotted back downstairs, walking to the library.

Father Gaepora, with his low voice that was quickly becoming familiar and that carried easily in the quiet room, greeted them there. Aveil, Sheik, and Zelda were waiting there as well. "Welcome back to the Abbey," he nodded to his guests. "As I'm sure you noticed, we've closed the Abbey to the public. This is just a precaution for while you are here."

"For me, you mean?" Vaati queried dryly.

Impa answered, "For the three of you. Link, Enlil, Miss Nohansen - the reason I arranged to have you spend winter break here is so that you can each receive training."

Zelda's eyes widened, and she glanced at Link questioningly before asking Impa, "What kind of training?"

"Father Gaepora shall instruct you on how to use magic and auras. You will also be assisting him in the restoration of the Four Sword. Link will help as well." Impa turned her red eyes on Link. "You will receive training on swordplay from Aveil. And you -" she addressed Vaati last "- will be allowed to practice your magic as you wish, under supervision and in a secure location.

"We have gained little more intel on Ghirahim and the Yiga, but we know for a fact that Ghirahim cannot be harmed by normal means. Therefore, we are trying to equip you with the tools necessary to combat him, should the occasion arise. If the Yiga's goal is indeed to use the Wind Mage's magic to resurrect Ganon, all the more reason for this training. The restoration of the Four Sword is also important, as a preventive measure."

Link raised her hand. "Er, one, if we're worried about Ganon, shouldn't we be trying to restore the Master Sword instead? And two, we don't have anyone that could use either of those swords, anyways."

Impa and Gaepora shared a glance. The priest took a breath, hesitating a moment. "We believe you have the ability to wield the Four Sword, Link."

He didn't look like he was joking. Impa's expression was one hundred percent serious as well. Link took several seconds to stare at the priest. "Woah, that's kinda - I can't - only the Hero can do that! And I can't be the Hero. I'm not even - " She was going to say 'a boy' but caught herself.

"You pulled the Four Sword out from its pedestal," Father Gaepora replied.

"Yeah, but it was all rusted and broken and - anyone could've done it!"

The white-bearded man slowly shook his head. "We attempted to remove it after we learned that the Wind Mage was no longer sealed inside it. We wished to restore it. But it would not budge the slightest bit. It was as though the blade had become one with the stone. No, Link, only you were able to remove it."

The blonde continued to stare at him with eyes wide. That just couldn't be possible. Sure, there were a lot of things she had thought weren't possible before that had become reality: the fairy fountain, the Four Sword, the Wind Mage... but this one couldn't be real. Link was a girl, an orphan, a spy trained to lie and kill - not a hero.

And yet, as she turned her gaze to look at first Zelda and then Vaati, her mind whispered that it might be possible. Here she was, with the Princess and the Wind Mage - only the Hero was missing. And she _had_ removed the Four Sword when no one else could.

Her gaze lingered on Vaati. He stared back without a word. If she was the Hero... did that make them enemies?

She blinked, eyes hardening, and turned back to look at Impa. "Even if I could use the Four Sword for some reason, I won't. The only person it's useful against is Vaati, and he's our ally. I'll help restore it but I won't use it."

Her guardian's eyes narrowed slightly and her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly displeased with Link's declaration. However, she replied, "It is not necessary that you use it unless an emergency happens. You will only be required to help with the restoration."

"Understood." Link bowed her head respectfully.

"Training begins tomorrow. Father Gaepora will show you now where you each will be practicing." With that, Impa marched out of the library, heels clacking loudly on the floor.

Link watched her guardian leave, feeling slightly guilty for opposing her; but she just couldn't do something like seal Vaati away, just because he _might_ be used by the Yiga. She sighed and turned back to Father Gaepora. Sheik caught her eye, though; he was staring at her thoughtfully, and she couldn't quite tell if his expression was disapproving or not.

Clearing his throat, Father Gaepora swept a hand, gesturing to the library in general. "Miss Nohansen, this will be our primary training location. You will be studying from our collection of magic books for the most part. Link, Enlil, follow me to your training grounds."

They left Zelda, Aveil, and Sheik behind in the library, heading to a door Link hadn't been through before. It led directly from the library to an inner courtyard Link didn't know existed. All the windows in the Abbey were stained glass, so she hadn't been able to see what lay outside. The courtyard was enclosed by the Abbey on all four sides, a long rectangle consisting of flat stone paths around the perimeter and at intervals through the center. Grass filled the spaces between, short and brown. Tall flowerpots dotted the paths, but they were empty now.

"Feel free to use the courtyard as you wish. We only ask that you don't damage any of the grounds or the Abbey itself." Father Gaepora lowered his gaze to Vaati, then Link. "The residents have all been informed about your training, so you shouldn't have to worry about anyone straying into the courtyard while you are practicing."

He gave a farewell, stating he had other matters to attend to, and returned inside through the door they had come from. Vaati started to follow, but Link stopped him, saying, "Wanna practice now?"

Her roommate frowned at her critically. "I have to have supervision," he replied dryly.

"I'll be your supervision!" Link returned cheerfully. "Come on, you finally have free rein! I wanna see you do some really cool stuff! Like make yourself float, or summon bats, or make _me_ float!" She swept both arms up and spun in a circle. "You can do anything you want!"

Vaati looked first at her, then at the door. He gave a smirk and nodded, turning to gaze out at the empty courtyard. "All right. Let's see what I can do."

Link took a few steps back, bouncing on her toes slightly. This would be the first time she'd get to see Vaati's magic at its full power. If the legends were to be trusted, he was capable of some pretty awesome stuff. What would he do first? Summon bats? Conjure up a tornado?

He didn't do either of those things. Link's excitement slowly died as she realized he was just standing there, staring at the gray sky. She trotted over to his side, peering curiously at his face. "Don't know what to do first?"

His eyes snapped down, and he scowled, shaking his head. "I have plenty of ideas, and they're better than yours. Starting is just..." Vaati lifted a hand, examining his palm.

"What, afraid you'll mess up?" Link queried honestly. "Then just start with something simple!"

"That's not what I meant. Whatever. Just - fine, I'll try your dumb idea."

Vaati lifted his hand out in front of him and snapped his fingers. There was a small flash of purple light that made Link blink reflexively - and then there was a bat, fluttering in the air in front of them. It quickly darted away from them and took refuge under the awnings nearby, hiding from the daylight.

"SWEET!" Link shouted, running after the bat, almost like she thought it was going to vanish if she didn't keep her eye on it. She could only barely see it in the shadows under the awning, but it was definitely there - a bat conjured from thin air. She looked back at Vaati, grinning excitedly and pointing at the bat.

He seemed rather pleased with himself. His smirk had turned into a small smile. When she walked back over, he commented, "Doesn't take much to impress you, does it?"

"Come on, you're impressed, too, right? Can you do more? Can you control them? Are they real or just made of magic? Can -"

"Stop with the questions already! I'm not letting you supervise me again if all you're going to do is interrogate me every time I do a little magic trick."

Link pouted. "So mean! Okay, okay, have fun on your own. I'll just watch silently and refrain from joy." She made a show of sniffling and walking slowly away.

Suddenly, she heard the rustling and flapping of wings - lots of wings. Whipping around, she was met with a horde of bats flying straight towards her. Link dropped to the ground instinctively and rolled under them, hopping to her feet when she was behind them. The bats quickly switched direction, coming at her like a wall this time, with no room to evade. Link threw up her arms to protect her face, but nothing made contact. She could hear their wings flapping very close. Slowly she lowered her arms, to see the bats flying all around her like the walls of a hurricane.

"Does that answer your questions?" Vaati shouted over the rustling of leathery wings. Was it her imagination, or did his voice sound like he was almost laughing? She couldn't see him through the dark wall of bats.

"Almost!" Link shouted back with a laugh.

Experimentally she reached a hand out towards the flying animals. Their bony wings smacked against her fingers, hard and real. Growing more daring, she stuck her hand into the moving wall, grabbing at whatever she could get. Her fingers closed around a wing, and she pulled back, a squirming bat firmly in her grip. Link examined it closely. It was clearly a keese bat, a very rare species in modern days but whose appearance was well known to most, as they appeared as a common enemy in the legends and ancient art; even modern cartoons tended to use keese instead of normal bats. The bat in her hands had the distinctive large yellow eyes and long spiked tail that only keese possessed.

She noticed, however, that the keese was devoid of any heat. It wasn't exactly cold, but it wasn't warm like a living mammal should be. She sought out where to find a pulse, all but oblivious now to the swarm around her. Yet she couldn't find one.

"Hey, Vaati," she shouted, "are these real or not?"

The keese parted, scattering and retreating to the awnings. Vaati walked over and frowned at the keese in Link's hands. "What do you mean, real?"

"Flesh and blood. This doesn't have any body heat or a pulse." Link shifted the keese so she could hold it with one hand, using her other hand to reach inside her jacket and pull out her knife. Vaati stammered a protest, but she waved him off. "I'm just going to see if it bleeds if it gets a cut." Carefully, she slid the blade across one of the bat's bony arms, where she knew she could easily break the skin without injuring it badly. She saw the skin split, but no blood or liquid bubbled from the cut.

"It must be made completely of magic, then," Vaati murmured.

Link nodded. She glanced at Vaati, then suddenly spun away so the keese was hidden from his view. Quickly, she plunged her knife into the creature's chest. It gave a screech that made her cringe. It was quickly cut off, however, as the bat suddenly exploded in a puff of dark purple smoke.

"Did you just kill it?!"

"Sorry!" Link turned back, lowering her hands and smiling apologetically at her roommate. "I just wanted to confirm whether or not it was made of magic."

Vaati's gaze slid down to the knife in her hand, and he was quiet for a moment. "I forget how scary you can be sometimes."

Her smile faltered at that. "Only to my enemies!" she replied, forcing her voice to be cheerful. She slid her knife back into its holster inside her jacket. "Er, sorry again..."

"What're you apologizing for? You're on my side, right? So it's not like I'm scared of you." Vaati's smirk returned. "I'm pretty sure I know who's stronger, anyways."

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Her grin regained its strength, and she opened up her jacket, making a show of grabbing her knife again.

"Why not. Let's see if you can get through my defenses." Vaati took several steps back. The keese, with a collective screech, flew out from the awnings and gathered in a black cloud behind him.

Link nodded in eager agreement. "And the loser has to obey one command from the winner!" When Vaati scowled slightly, she added, "Come on, it's not a good challenge if there's no prize! Or do you already think you're going to lose?"

"What?! Of course not! Fine - I'll make you regret that you made that bet."

"Alright! I win if I break through your defenses. You win if I can't after five minutes or if I give up. Sound good?"

He nodded - and she immediately rushed towards him, knife in hand. Her roommate was only surprised for a second before the keese flashed into a wall in front of him. Their black forms swarmed towards Link. She skidded to a halt just before she crashed into them. From when she had tried to grab one before, she knew it wasn't as simple as plowing her way through. Experimentally, Link ran to the left, circling around Vaati. The keese followed, keeping the same distance between her and their master, not breaking form.

Five minutes. She needed to form a strategy. It may have been only for fun, but her mind had fully kicked into combat mode. The keese were a moving wall between her and her target. What she needed was to find a way past or around that wall. She could try to outrun them, but she had a feeling that wouldn't work. Slicing through them with her knife might work, but only if Vaati didn't summon more. If only she had equipment like smoke bombs or even a second knife.

Break through his defenses, break through his defenses...

"Already giving up?" Vaati called tauntingly. The wall of keese opened up just enough for Link to see his smirking face.

Her eyes flashed, and her hand swung forward before Vaati could react, hurling her knife through the gap towards his head. It flew a few inches to the right, carrying on until it smashed into one of the flowerpots.

Link lowered her hand. "I win!"

Vaati turned his head from staring in shock at the shattered flowerpot to staring mutely at the blonde. The keese scattered. "Were you trying to kill me?!" Vaati hissed when he finally recovered, anger replacing his shock.

"I purposely missed, don't worry!" She waved a hand dismissively. "But you're the one that let your guard down, you know. You let your defenses be broken. So I win!"

"Did you not hear the part about where your knife nearly sliced through my skull?!"

Link glanced over at the broken pieces of the flowerpot. Belatedly she remembered Father Gaepora's request not to damage anything. Oops. She returned her gaze to her angry roommate, spreading her hands out placatingly. "I'm a professional, Vaati. Seriously, there's no way I'd ever do something like that if there was a chance I'd kill or hurt you. Come on, have a little faith in me!"

He sighed, shaking his head and running a hand down his face. Then he looked at the stained glass windows of the Abbey. "Did you mean it when you said you won't use the Four Sword?" Vaati glanced briefly at Link, then back to the windows. "Even if I turn against you? You seem pretty willing to throw knives at me."

Had he really been bothered by what Impa had said? She should have known; Vaati was very sensitive about what others thought of him, even if he tried to hide it. Instead of answering, Link slowly walked towards Vaati, taking very deliberate steps until he look at her. She locked her gaze with his, still advancing. When she was only a few paces away, she lifted her hand as though she were holding a knife. One pace away, Vaati nervously stepped back, and she followed, pressing her fist to his chest in a mimicry of stabbing him, eyes still on his face.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Vaati stammered, frozen. She could feel his heart beating quickly in his chest.

"I'm a Sheikah agent who's been trained to kill," she replied calmly. "But I have never, ever killed anyone. Impa gave me a choice, at one point in my training: to be an agent that kills, or not. She said that both would have their trials; it was hard to say which path was more difficult. I chose not to kill. And I trained so that I knew how to avoid killing and still achieve my objectives. Like purposely not slicing through your head. So why would I seal away my best friend to a prison worse than death?" Link lowered her hand, finally breaking eye contact to sigh. Then she smiled slightly and gently patted Vaati's shoulder. "I may be an agent and all that, but I don't have it in me to hurt the people I care about. That's my weakness - you, Impa, Sheik, Aveil, Zelda... I'd give my life for all of you before I would ever purposely harm you."

The mage stiffened at her touch, and he cast his eyes down, squinting like he was confused. Then he finally got out, "You're too honest for your own good, you idiot."

Link laughed lightly at that. "I've been told that a few times." She took a step back and gestured towards the broken flowerpot. "I should probably clean that up. Ooh, or maybe I'll cash in my request and have you clean it up!"

"That would be a complete waste. Save it." Vaati turned, squinted critically at the shattered pottery, and then snapped his fingers. The broken pot vanished in a flash of light and was replaced by a completely intact one. "Let's just go back inside already."

"Wonder what I should have you do..." Link mused as she followed her roommate back into the Abbey. Now that he had his magic, there were a _lot_ of possibilities. This merited some thinking. Maybe she'd ask Aveil - she knew from experience how much the Gerudo could make out of one command.

Practicing swordplay, watching others' magic, time with Vaati, Sheik, and Aveil, figuring out her command for Vaati - this was going to be the best winter break she'd had in a long time. That is, if things continued smoothly. She wondered why that last part attached itself to her thoughts.


	25. Chapter 24

A/N: Here's one of those bridging chapters in which not a lot happens, but moves us towards the good stuff. And by good stuff, I mean Laati development. I have certain things planned for their winter break.

Aveil mentions that no legends talk about a Hero using both the Four Sword and the Master Sword. That's not quite true - in the GBA Link to the Past/Four Swords game, you can get both. But I don't really consider that as part of the actual Zelda storyline. Then again, it does let us know that it's possible.

Welcome to Jacram972, SnowLink2, and Ktap4321!

* * *

Chapter 24

 _The next day, 8:00am_

After a modest breakfast together with the monks of the Abbey, Impa sent everyone off to their individual training. Zelda and Father Gaepora departed for the library, Vaati and Sheik for one side of the courtyard, and Link and Aveil headed to the far end of the courtyard. The grass was frosty and crunched underfoot as they walked. Link puffed out her breath, watching the little clouds quickly disappear. She knew she wouldn't be cold for long. Aveil's training sessions were always intense; put a weapon in her hand, and she transformed from a simple woman into a fierce Gerudo warrior, and Link was forced to keep up. Link had her own fighter mode, though. Already, her fingers were tapping against her leg as she walked, itching to move.

When they reached the end of the courtyard, Aveil held out one of the swords she'd been carrying. "I'm sure you remember the basics, right?" she asked as Link took the offered weapon.

"Of course!" Link shifted the hilt in her left hand, examining the blade quickly. Not that it had ever come in handy during her missions, but swordplay was her favorite type of combat, with archery coming in close second. She swung the sword up, loving the feel of its weight and the way it sliced so smoothly through the air.

"When you are ready, Link," Aveil called.

The two faced off, each with a sword in one hand. Their blades were dulled, but Link knew from experience that they would still leave nasty bruises and broken bones if she was hit. She had no shield to protect herself with, so it was up to her to parry, block, and dodge every move of Aveil's.

Link made the first move. She feinted to the right, then swung her blade up when Aveil turned to avoid her. Her blade hit Aveil's with a metallic clang. "Hey, Aveil," she called out as she tried another jab. "Why does Impa want the Four Sword restored instead of using the Master Sword?"

"You should know by now," her mentor replied, smoothly parrying and launching a series of attacks of her own. "Impa likes to play it safe. She doesn't trust Vaati. After all, he's only working with the Sheikah because he has no other choice. Second - ah, close," she gasped, barely dodging a hit to the shoulder, "there is a legend where the Four Sword was used to seal Ganon. It could be useful. On the other hand, I don't know of any legends where the Hero uses both swords."

"Well, I don't know any legends where the Hero is a girl, either." Link rolled under Aveil's swipe, hopping up and attempting to jab her in the side. Her attack was blocked, and she retreated a few steps.

The Gerudo blew a few strands of red hair from her face and smirked. "Very true! But it's about time, I say."

Several minutes of sparring followed, too fast-paced for Link to chat any more. She scored a hit on Aveil's leg, and they paused for a moment, breathing heavily but nodding with satisfaction.

"What about the Master Sword?" Link asked when she had caught her breath. "Do you have any clue where it is?"

Aveil chuckled heartily. "It's only the government's worst-kept secret," she smirked. "I'm surprised you didn't already know about it. It's locked away in a vault in Hyrule Castle. I don't think anyone believes it to be magical or anything anymore, but it's certainly valuable - a national treasure, if you will."

"Why don't we use it, then?"

"I told you - the government has it. And they don't really like to give things like that away. Not unless they were truly convinced that the apocalypse had come." Aveil lifted her sword, beckoning. "Come on, we've only barely started!"

Link's thoughts occupied her mind as she sparred with the Gerudo, her body acting on instinct. So perhaps it was not that Impa didn't want Link to use the Master Sword, it was that she couldn't get the sword in the first place. And until they could get the Master Sword, the Four Sword was the best alternative. It had the potential to be used against Ganon, should the need arise. If that was the case, Link might have to use the Four Sword in the end. Just as long as she didn't have to hurt Vaati...

That reminded her - "Hey, Aveil, I won a bet with Vaati, and now I get to give him one command," Link explained. She took a hit to the shoulder but kept parrying against her mentor's quick, fluid attacks. "Got any suggestions?"

The grin Aveil gave her was very much less than innocent. "Well, one command can get you a lot of things. You could tell him to give you a massage every night for the rest of your life or to always buy you things if you ask him... Quite a few options!" She spun, bringing down her sword against Link's with great force. Link caught it, feet planted firmly. "Add the magic factor, and you could get almost anything."

"That's what makes it hard to choose. Too many options," Link panted as she and Aveil pushed against each other. Power was on the Gerudo's side, not the blonde's, and she knew she couldn't hold out forever. "What would you choose?"

She let the Gerudo nearly overpower her, then suddenly pivoted, spinning away to the side. Aveil lost her balance, and Link's blade quickly found its place at the tan-skinned woman's neck. They remained frozen except for their chests slowly rising and falling as they panted. Link carefully lowered her blade, and they both straightened, facing each other.

"I don't think training you is necessary," Aveil smiled. She brushed back the bangs sticking to her forehead. "Swordplay was always your strength, and it looks like all you needed was a quick refresher course. I concede!"

They shook hands. Link sat down on the stone path, laying her sword next to her. Across the courtyard, she could see Vaati consulting with Sheik, a book laid in the latter's lap. She wondered if they were getting along. Vaati quickly strode away from the other man, going to a spot a few dozen feet away. He caught Link staring at him and paused. She gave him a wave and a smile, but the Mage only frowned and looked away.

"I think I would make him spend an entire twenty-four hours with me," Aveil mused next to Link, also watching the violet-haired man across the courtyard with a slanted smile. "With the exception of trips to the bathroom, he would have to be with me at all times during the twenty-four hours."

Link cast a sideways glance at her mentor. "What about when you sleep? Or take a shower?"

"Oh, he'd have to be with me then, too."

"I should've known you'd say something like that!" Link exclaimed, leaning away slightly. She sincerely hoped for Vaati's sake that Aveil hadn't flirted with him or anything. Then again, it was almost impossible for Aveil not to flirt with every male she came across. "You and men...!"

She only got a lighthearted laugh in response. Aveil kept smiling, gold eyes on Vaati. "Well, what do _you_ want from him? Gifts? Services? Time? Figure out what would benefit you the most, the thing that only Vaati can give you. That's how you can get the most out of one command."

The Gerudo stood. "I'll report to Impa about your progress. You've got free time for now, then." She winked. "Good luck!"

Link passively waved a farewell, pondering over Aveil's advice. What exactly _did_ she want from Vaati? She'd made the bet on a whim, not with anything in mind. The one wish she'd had for a while - to be friends with Vaati - had already been granted. That was the one thing she wanted from him: to be friends, trusting each other and wanting to spend time together. If anything, spending more time together would make her more than happy. Maybe something simple like going somewhere or doing something fun once a week?

Across the courtyard, Vaati had gone through a series of summonings. Link identified most of the creatures: Keese, Octoroks, Deku scrubs, Chuchus. Just as quickly as he summoned one, he replaced it with a different creature, impatiently snapping his fingers in quick succession. They were all mostly small, though, she noticed.

She hopped to her feet and trotted along the courtyard path, keeping just out of Vaati's line of sight. He was too focused to notice her anymore - a perfect opportunity. When she was closer and his back was facing her, she slowly inched from the path to the grass, walking lightly so as to not make the dead blades of grass crunch under her feet and accidentally alert her prey to her presence. She knew Sheik could see her perfectly well, but he kept silent, only a ghost of a smile revealing his amusement. Closer, closer, until she was mere inches away...

"You're dead!" she shouted, clamping her hands over Vaati's eyes from behind.

He jumped and cursed with a shout, grabbing at her hands. She let go, and he whipped around. "W-what the heck?!" Vaati stammered. His face was turning a subtle red. Behind him, Sheik was chuckling softly.

"I killed you!" Link simply replied. "It's a game - I try to creep up on you and 'kill' you. Sheik and I used to play it all the time! He usually won, though. He's got some mad ninja skills, seriously."

"Since when am I part of this game?" her roommate replied huffily.

"Well, since you lost our match because you let your guard down, I thought it'd be a good idea to play this game and train you to keep your guard up! Also, it's fun to scare you." Link snickered and grinned when Vaati sputtered at that.

They turned when Sheik called out to them, "Link's right. Keeping your guard up is important." The blond beckoned for them to come over. One of his arms was still in a sling, so he couldn't push the wheels of his wheelchair yet. "You have a lot you can do with your magic, but if you lack battle training, it won't do you much good. As Link demonstrated."

Link trotted over to stand behind Sheik, resting her arms on the back of the chair and grinning down at her comrade. "I would play with you, but you're kinda at a disadvantage."

"Only slightly," Sheik craned his head back to smirk confidently. Then he laughed lightly. "I don't know, you might be able to win nowadays. You barely got scratched by Ghirahim, while I -" he gestured towards his sling and the wheelchair. "I think that shows how our skills compare."

"Aww, is someone feeling sorry for himself?" Link crooned. She poked Sheik in the cheek - he swatted her hand away - and shook her head. "I already told you, it's only because Vaati saved me. Come on, you're still the best agent ever! Best agent ever! Best agent ever!" She continued poking his cheek, giggling and dodging his hand that tried to push hers away from his face.

Vaati cleared his threat, and she looked up. He was glaring at both of them with extreme annoyance. "You two sure are friendly," he muttered.

It was Link's turn for her cheeks to warm slightly, but she answered in her normal tone, "Yep! We trained together when we were young. I'd call us friends-slash-rivals! I haven't seen him in a while, though - he's always off on super dangerous missions." She poked Sheik's cheek at that last sentence.

"The same goes for you, Link. We're both busy."

This explanation apparently didn't satisfy Vaati, though; he glared at them a moment longer, then abruptly turned around and headed for the library entrance without an explanation. Link sighed at his anti-social behavior.

"He doesn't seem to like you..." she murmured, taking a seat next to Sheik's wheelchair.

"I can tell. It's not a problem, though. I think I know why he's so antagonistic towards me, too," Sheik answered in his low, quiet voice.

Link tilted her head curiously. "Really? I still can't figure out all his moods yet. What is it, then?"

"He likely views me as a threat to his relationship with you. I've heard that Vaati has never had any friends before, so now that he does have one, he does not want to lose that bond. He may be feeling insecure; perhaps he thinks you like me more than you like him. And he might not even consciously know why he's feeling irritable." Sheik glanced down at her. "Reading other people's emotions still isn't your strong suit, huh?"

She stared at the library door thoughtfully. What Sheik had said made sense. It was hard to see the person you were closest to acting close with another person. But it wasn't like she liked Sheik more. True, at one time she had had a massive crush on the blond agent, and sometimes she still got butterflies around him, but really, they were just old friends. How could she let Vaati know that he was still her best friend, no matter what?

* * *

 _5:42pm_

Dinner, like breakfast, was a communal affair, scheduled for half-past six. Link had been given the afternoon off; apparently her help with the Four Sword wasn't needed yet, and Aveil had no other training to give her. She'd spent some time watching Vaati practice, browsing the library shelves, and poking around the Sanctuary. For about the last hour, she'd been lying on her bed in her room, staring at the wood ceiling and running through ideas of what command to give Vaati.

She could have him summon the Master Sword from wherever it was hidden. Impa would be less than pleased, though, she was sure, not to mention any trouble they would get in with the government.

She could tell him to summon a creature that she could keep as a pet. Maybe a wolf - she'd always liked wolves. But his creatures were made of magic, so she wasn't sure that it would live long or have any personality.

She could have him write all of her reports for the rest of college. But she didn't know how much longer she'd be at the Academy. And it wasn't like she couldn't do her assignments - it was just that other things were more interesting or important. Her grades didn't matter much to her.

She could make him her servant for life, using his magic to fulfill her every wish.

Yeah, she wasn't actually serious about that last idea.

In the end, the only idea that Link actually liked was having Vaati hang out and do something fun with her once a week. Maybe she wasn't squeezing the most she could out of the command, but she was sure Vaati wouldn't object to it too strongly. It might even help him get over his insecurities about their friendship.

Link swung herself up to a sitting position on her bed, blowing at her messy bangs. Vaati was probably over in his own guest room, enjoying a bit of solitude before dinner. Solitude that was soon going to be interrupted by a certain blonde agent.

"Who is it?" Vaati's muffled voice came from behind the thick wooden door as Link tapped her knuckles on it repeatedly.

"Just your favorite person in the whole wide world!" Link replied cheerfully, continuing to knock.

She kept on knocking until he swung open the door. He leveled a glare at his roommate, completely unamused. "You're not my favorite person. Just the one I hate the least. What do you want?"

Link chuckled and leaned against the doorframe. "I've figured out my command for you! It's absolutely genius; you're going to wish you'd never let your guard down! Are you ready? Yes? No?"

"Just tell me already. It can't be any worse than any of the things I thought up. Let me guess, I have to be your servant for life?" Vaati crossed his arms.

"I thought about that, but no!" Link turned and started drumming on the doorframe with her hands. "You, Vaati, were defeated in an epic match of strength and wits. As agreed before said match, the loser - that is, you - have to obey one command issued by the winner - that would be me! And my command for you is this!" She lifted her hands with a flourish and pointed at the Mage. "Once a week, you shall accompany me to some fun place or activity and hang out with me. That is my command!"

He took a moment to respond. When he did, he uncrossed his arms and sighed. " _That's_ your command? I guess I should've expected something like that. You do realize that's not exactly a negative thing for me, right?"

"I know. But when I thought about what I wanted the most from you, what only you can give me, I realized it was just to spend more time with you. I'm a simple person," she laughed.

"An idiot, you mean," Vaati muttered. He turned his face away from her. "Alright, I accept your command. I'll hang out with you or whatever."

"Sweet!" Link pumped both fists, bumping Vaati lightly on the shoulder. He swatted her hand away. "I already know where we'll go first! I wanna tour the Temple of Time, and then lunch and walking around town!"

Vaati opened his mouth to reply, but a different voice answered. "Ooooh, sounds like a date," came Aveil's smooth voice from Link's left. She sauntered over to the two, smiling with a pleased expression, like she'd found a juicy piece of gossip. "Just don't have too much fun, you two."

Link and Vaati simultaneously blushed. She only noticed when she glanced at her roommate apologetically - his whole face was tinted red, looking just as warm as her own face felt. For some reason, that flustered her more than Aveil's comments. She was used to Vaati just getting annoyed at Aveil for that kind of teasing, rejecting such ideas outright, not becoming embarrassed like this. To Vaati, Link was a guy, so he'd always denied such comments matter-of-factly; Aveil's words would hold no weight against him, only be bothersome. So why was he blushing now?

"It's not a date!" Link finally managed to get out after a long and awkward silence, during which Aveil's smile had only grown more satisfied. "I'm just dragging him around with me."

"He ordered me to hang out with him once a week," Vaati added. "Because apparently you have to coerce your friends to do that."

"I see," the Gerudo woman said with a smile that clearly showed she didn't believe their explanations. "Well, have fun on your non-date! Oh, and dinner is almost done." She patted Link on the head and sauntered on down the hall.

Link and Vaati just watched her leave, not quite looking at each other. After a moment, the blonde cleared her throat. "Anyways, let's plan it for this Saturday. I've got a feeling Impa won't let us off easy on the training even on the weekends, but we can at least go during lunch."

"Fine," was all Vaati said.

She gave a laugh and turned to him with a half-smile. He glanced up at her. "Aveil's always been like that. I think she just likes making people embarrassed. Um, has she said anything weird to you?" she asked. She could only guess that Aveil was the reason behind Vaati's embarrassment.

His ears turned red but he quickly replied, "Nothing important. I'm going to dinner." He brushed past her, speed walking down the hall without a backwards glance.

Link leaned against the doorframe with a sigh. Something was definitely up. He didn't know she was a girl, did he? Aveil wouldn't give that away, and she couldn't think of any way that Vaati could have found out. But she didn't know why else he'd be acting that way. And once again, she couldn't ask Aveil about it. The Gerudo always kept her lips sealed.

Well, she'd have a whole afternoon on Saturday to needle Vaati about it. For now, her stomach was calling her towards the dining room.


	26. Chapter 25

A/N: I don't know anything about self defense or combat except from books and movies. So forgive me if my combat sequences are lacking!

Okyaku-san: Vaati is definitely having a hard time, and Aveil is not helping! As for Link, she doesn't feel the need to tell Vaati about it. She probably figures it will only bother him - she's not aware yet of Vaati's changing feelings!

Pineapple: He's in for a surprise, is all I can say. I'm glad you were able to find this story again! The main reason I created an account on here was so I could keep track of all my favorite fanfics lol

Hello and welcome to thewritinggoddess!

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Chapter 25

 _Saturday, 9:00am_

 _Status: Sparring with Link_

"What, did you think I'd go easy on ya?" Link grinned, leaning over Vaati where he was sprawled out on the courtyard grass. He held out a hand.

Vaati ignored the offer of help and sat up on his own, rubbing the back of his head. "I thought you'd show some consideration, since I'm an absolute amateur. Geez, why do I even have to learn hand-to-hand combat?" It wasn't like he would ever need it. If he got in some sort of conflict, he could easily end it with magic.

"I already explained it to you, Vaati," Sheik called out. He and Aveil were watching the two students practice. "You rely on your magic too much. If for any reason you couldn't use your magic, you would be completely defenseless."

"Alright, fine," he conceded, sighing and getting to his feet, "but why do I have to practice with this guy? He won't lower the difficulty." He pointed an accusatory finger at Link.

Sheik shook his head. "Link's attacks have all been ones that you could have easily blocked or avoided. Minus that last one." His red eyes turned to the younger blonde, frowning at him disapprovingly. "Kicking his feet out from under him was cheating, don't you think?"

With a sheepish laugh, Link replied, "Sorry, I just couldn't resist. His expression when he fell was really funny! I won't do it again." He turned to Vaati and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Come on, let's try again. You just have to dodge or block all my hits, like I showed you before. Remember, dodging is the best, but usually you can't avoid a hit, so you need to minimize the impact and protect your face and torso. I'll start out a little slower this time." The blonde leaned forward and added in a whisper, "We can't leave til those two are satisfied that you're not _completely_ defenseless."

"Yeah, yeah." Vaati took a deep breath, shaking out his hands and rolling his shoulders. Then he lifted up his fists and planted his feet in the defensive stance Link had taught him. "Hurry up, already."

It was fairly simple: Link would throw punches at Vaati, and Vaati would do his best to dodge or block the punches. A successful block was when the punch landed on his forearm or when he intercepted the move and pushed Link's arm away. He kept his eyes fixed on his opponent's fists, trying to anticipate where the next throw would be. Face? Stomach? Left or right fist?

"That won't work!" Link called out as his left fist connected with Vaati's stomach. Vaati stumbled back, wincing. "Trying to anticipate my moves will only trip you up. You aren't experienced enough to predict what the other guy is going to do, so you have to rely on your reflexes. Watch my fists but don't anticipate." Link beckoned to Vaati with one hand.

Grumbling but without any other options, Vaati straightened and resumed the defense position. This time, he watched Link's movements intently, waiting for the hits without trying to guess where it would come from. His responses were sloppier than he would have liked, but they were more accurate; he didn't misjudge which arm to block with as often. Link still got in a few solid whacks to his chest.

"You're improving! Alright, I'll go faster!"

"Wait, not ye-" Vaati gasped, only to receive another punch to the gut. He snarled and swung his fist at Link, tired of only taking hits like he was a punching bag.

The blonde ducked under the swing and immediately sprung forward, wrapping his arms around Vaati's torso, plowing into him so that he lost his balance and fell backwards, Link on top. He'd barely registered that the breath had been knocked out of him, and then Link was grabbing his wrists, pinning his arms above his head. Panting, the two remained still for a moment.

Vaati stared mutely at Link. There was that hard glint in his blue eyes - quickly fading, but he caught it. That look always made Vaati somewhat uncomfortable. It filled him with a mixture of fear and... awe, at the barely tame fire within Link's eyes. He felt more trapped by those eyes than by the hands pinning him down.

"You cheated!" Link chided him. He let go of Vaati's wrists but didn't stand up. "I know you're jealous of my good looks, but that's no reason to try to punch me in the face!"

The Mage stammered a weak retort, "Y-yeah, well... I'm not a human punching bag, either." He wasn't looking at Link's face anymore; instead, he had very suddenly become aware of the fact that Link was, well, sitting on top of him. And this was making him extremely uncomfortable. "G-get off of me already!"

To his great relief, Link responded immediately, hopping up and pulling Vaati to his feet as well. "Need a break?" the blonde asked.

Vaati glanced over at Sheik and Aveil. The Gerudo was snickering quietly to herself, and she pointed to her cheek, then at Vaati. He scowled at her; he didn't need her to point out how red his face was - he could tell plenty well by how hot it felt. "No, let's keep going," he replied stubbornly to Link. Vaati refused to let something like that bother him. Getting pinned down during combat with another guy was nothing to be self-conscious about. Link was acting perfectly normal - so why was his face so warm?

He pushed aside those thoughts and focused on not getting punched in the stomach again. After a while, he sort of fell into a rhythm, and he was able to consistently dodge and block Link's hits - for the most part. Link seemed to enjoy punching him in the stomach, but Vaati didn't try to punch back anymore. He just comforted himself by thinking that he actually could put bats in Link's bed as revenge now.

They went at it for another half-hour, Link gradually increasing his speed. By the end, Vaati was panting and sweating, despite the chilly winter air. Link still looked like he had energy to spare; he was bouncing on his feet and was only slightly out of breath compared to Vaati.

"That's enough," Sheik called out to them. He was nodding with satisfaction. "You improved faster than I expected, Vaati."

The Mage ignored the compliment. "We're done for the day, then?"

"I heard you two have plans, so yes, you can be done for today. But there will be more training tomorrow morning, same time. You can throw some punches at Link then." Sheik gave a smile when Link inched away from Vaati like he was afraid of the Mage punching him then and there.

As the two went off to take showers, Aveil called out to them from behind, "Have fun on your daaate!"

Vaati froze, then whipped around and shouted back, "It's not a date, you delusional witch!"

She just winked at him.

* * *

 _1:22pm_

 _Location: Temple Cafe, Temple of Time_

As Vaati and Link sat in the visitors' cafe inside the Temple of Time, he was only half-listening to his companion's chatter and only half-eating his BLT. The cafe was full of visitors - families enjoying the Saturday together, college students visiting during the break - and their conversations overlapped in a lively babble. It was easy to tune out whatever Link was saying.

When he thought about it, there was literally only one thing that made their outing not a date. They'd gone on a walk before going to the Temple of Time, had gone on the tour of the museum inside, stopped at the gift shop and argued over whether to buy souvenirs, and now were having lunch together. If a guy and a girl did that, it would count as a date.

That was the distinction - they were both guys. Vaati was not interested in guys, and neither was Link. Not a date. Even if for some reason Vaati _had_ been staring at Link slightly more than at the museum artifacts. Not a date. Or even if he _had_ briefly considered buying Link a souvenir. Not a date. Not a-

" _Vaaaaaaaati_!"

Link's finger poked his cheek, and he startled, dropping his sandwich on the table. He hadn't even noticed Link slowly stretching his hand across the table until his finger was right on his face. "What was that for?" Vaati grumbled, gathering up the mess his sandwich had made and cursing how easily he blushed.

"You were spacing out and ignoring me," Link pouted. "I was talking about super-important stuff, you know!"

"I doubt it." The sandwich's insides were now just a pile on his plate.

"I was listing a whole bunch of ideas of what to do next week. Winter break is only three weeks, so I wanna do the really fun stuff before we go back to the Academy," the blonde explained. He reached out a hand to snag a piece of bacon from Vaati's plate but got a solid slap instead. "What do you wanna do?"

Piling the BLT back together, Vaati sighed and shrugged. "I thought it was your choice." He stared at the sandwich in his hands but didn't take a bite.

"It's supposed to be fun for both of us. You know that word, fun? Enjoyable? Happy? Makes you -" Link reached out both hands for Vaati's face, pulling up the corners of his mouth "- smile?"

Vaati's carefully put together sandwich fell once again as he swatted Link's hands away. "Stop touching my face!"

His roommate just grinned and tried to poke his cheeks, forcing Vaati to repeatedly push his arms away until finally he just grabbed Link's hands. Link didn't struggle against it; instead, he threaded his fingers with Vaati's. Now it was the Mage's turn to try to pull his hands away. All the while, Link kept grinning and laughing.

Finally, he managed to free himself. Flustered, annoyed, and embarrassed, Vaati grabbed his plate and marched over to the trash, tossing his half-eaten mess of a BLT into the bin. Then he promptly marched out of the cafe, not checking to see if Link was following.

That blonde idiot - Vaati knew he only did things like that to tease him. It had always been that way. Even their first meeting had been punctuated with Link's casual flirtatiousness; he'd kissed his hair, hadn't he? Yeah, that was hard to forget. Link had a thing with personal space - invading it, that is. At first it had confused and annoyed Vaati, who was not used to anyone being so friendly and in-his-face. Gradually, he'd come to barely tolerate it. Or so he'd thought. When had things changed? When Aveil had stated the absurd idea that he felt more than friendship towards Link? Or before that? No, no, he was only flustered now because he wanted to avoid any misunderstandings about his relationship with Link.

He halted at the museum entrance, glancing back. Link was trotting after him. Yes, he needed to prevent any more misunderstandings. And that started with establishing some personal space.

"We going back to the Abbey?" Link asked. Vaati nodded. "Okay! But can we take the long way back?"

"Sure, whatever."

He watched Link from the corner of his eye as they walked. The blonde was blowing puffs of air, making small clouds. For a secret agent, he sure was carefree. But perhaps that wasn't true. Link was (usually) serious when the situation called for it.

"Hey, Link," he said after they'd been walking for a while. Apparently, the 'long way' was through the oldest part of town, up a hill where the narrow roads were make of large blocks of stone and the houses were close together. "You asked if Aveil said anything weird to me. Well, actually-"

They both heard it at the same time: a metallic sound, like a knife scraping against the blade of another knife. It was a sound they had heard once before in the Academy library, what now seemed like a long time ago. In all of the commotion, the sound had almost been missed, but they still recognized it.

They whipped around, searching for the source of the sound. There was no one on the street, however. Vaati had just concluded that it was his imagination, when something whistled by right in front of his face and landed with a thunk in the wall of a nearby house. He turned his head slowly. An arrow was embedded in the wooden paneling.

"Don't move," Link hissed. His blue eyes were darting around, likely searching for the origin of the arrow. "It's just a threat. If they wanted either of us dead, it wouldn't have missed."

"You catch on quickly. It spares me from explaining all the details." A tall, thin figure walked out from between the houses, his lips curled into that familiar mocking smile. Ghirahim. "It has been a while, hasn't it? I thought our reunion would never come. And indeed, you were always under that Sheikah's woman's watch. I didn't dare cause a scene. Not like last time. But at last, here we are!" Ghirahim spread his arms out.

Vaati gritted his teeth and growled, "I told you last time that I'm not on your side. That hasn't changed."

With a dramatic sigh, Ghirahim pressed his fingers to his forehead, his head drooping. "Oh, I can see. It simply astounds me to witness you allied with the sworn enemy of your past life. Pitiful, simply pitiful. You could do so much more!" He once again swept his arms up in a flourish. "With that power that rivals the gods - but here you are, playing at being friends with this child."

"I'm not playing at anything, Ghirahim, and if you don't get out of my sight soon, I'll show you exactly what I can do with my magic."

"Wonderful!" Ghirahim laughed, grin widening. "Everyone in this day and age are so lacking in any real fighting ability. But you, Wind Mage - ah, this will be quite the fun battle!"

Vaati snarled and took a step forward, the air around him picking up into a wind in response to his growing anger. This time, he would not stand helplessly aside. He would wipe that disgusting grin off of Ghirahim's face. He would do to him what he had done to Sheik, what he had nearly done to Link.

Vaati lifted a hand to snap his fingers, but suddenly Link grabbed his arm. "Don't! He's baiting you!" Link shook his head roughly. "You're just doing exactly what he wants."

"No, I'm doing what _I_ want - beating him to a pulp."

Vaati jerked his arm out of Link's grip and walked towards Ghirahim. Dark eyes looked down at him, glowing with bloodlust and mirth. The Mage leveled his own burning glare at the other man.

"Ah, such rage! It almost makes me shiver," Ghirahim said in a low voice.

In reply, Vaati snapped his fingers. There was a flash of light, and then there was what looked like an incredibly tall man in dark armor standing behind Ghirahim. With a shout that echoed through the metal of his helmet, the knight swung his massive sword towards the pale man.

Almost faster than Vaati could see, Ghirahim jumped, doing a graceful flip in the air before landing on the knight's shoulder. "A Darknut, hmm?" He snapped his fingers, and a long, thin black sword appeared in his hand.

The Darknut attempted to throw Ghirahim off, but he simply jumped of his own accord, landing softly behind the knight. He swept his sword up, slicing through the bindings of the Darknut's armor. Several of the heavy pieces of metal clattered to the ground. The Darknut growled and swung his giant sword, but the thin man was too quick. Before long, he had completely lost his armor; only chainmail remained.

With a roar, the knight tossed his heavy sword aside and grabbed a much thinner, rapier-like blade from its sheath. Then he rushed at Ghirahim - except this time, the Darknut was twice as fast as before. Vaati and Link watched as the two parried, thrust, dodged, and swung in what almost looked like a dance.

But the dance soon ended. Ghirahim got behind the Darknut and thrust his sword though its back. The knight screamed, and then vanished in a cloud of dark purple smoke.

Vaati clenched his fists. The way Ghirahim was smirking at him clearly said, "That was a fun warmup." Fine, then - this time he would summon three Darknuts.

"Stop, Vaati!" Link shouted. He grabbed Vaati by the shoulders, forcing him to look at the blonde. Link's eyes were hard. "It doesn't matter what you summon - it won't hurt him!" Vaati tried to protest, but Link shook him roughly. "Didn't you see? That Darknut made a hit on Ghirahim's stomach, but it didn't do anything. Trust me, Vaati! You can't beat him, not right now!"

When Vaati just stared back at him without saying anything, Link turned to Ghirahim. "What exactly do you want?"

The pale man snapped his fingers, and his sword vanished in a flurry of diamonds. "To see with my own two eyes the legendary power of Vaati, Sorcerer of Winds. I must say, it has been rather disappointing. You have grown dull, Mage. Perhaps that is because you are playing Hero with the Sheikah, allowing them to bind you with rules and morals. As I said, truly pitiful. Like this, I can't even use you." He smirked. "However..."

Ghirahim vanished with that metallic sound and a flurry of diamonds. Vaati cast his gaze about, trying to find where he'd gone off to this time. He turned around, to see Ghirahim standing behind Link, thin fingers gripping his shoulders and head bent low near the blonde's. Link froze, his eyes screaming the desire to fight back, but knowing he could do nothing. Vaati's heart skipped a beat.

"This one is of no use to either of us," Ghirahim murmured. "Shall I get rid of him for you?"

"Get. Away. From him," Vaati growled. He heard the wind whistling around him, felt it lifting his hair.

Ghirahim chuckled but didn't move. "You truly are a different person than your previous life. Wanting to protect someone else? It is as though you've grown a heart, Wind Mage. Mm, but I suppose I lied." His left hand slid down Link's arm, grabbing Link's hand and lifting it up to examine the back of it. Vaati saw Link barely shudder. "This one may be useful."

He vanished, only to reappear on the roof of a house across the street. "My curiosity is sated. I look forward to a more exciting contest when we meet again, Wind Mage." And then he disappeared for the final time.

"What in Din's name just happened..." Vaati muttered, staring at the place Ghirahim had been only seconds ago. Then he turned to Link. "Are... are you okay?"

Link turned his fierce blue eyes on the Mage, and he seemed to struggle for a moment before replying quietly, "I detest that man. I hate how... _helpless_ he makes me feel." His voice was harsh, angrier than Vaati had ever seen.

"Well, you're not the only one." Vaati lifted his hands and stared at his palms. "I thought it would be easy to pay him back for last time once I got my magic. But he's still way above me."

His friend let out a long sigh, then gave Vaati a pat on the arm, a small smile replacing the anger in his eyes. "Neither of us got hurt this time, so it could be worse. Come on, we need to go back and report all this to Impa."

* * *

"You violated your agreement, Vaati." Impa leveled her sharp red glare on the Mage. She, Vaati, and Link were sitting in Impa's guest room, which was Vaati noticed was larger than his own. "You are not to use your magic aside from practice within the Abbey."

Vaati scowled. "It was an emergency situation."

"No, as Link told you, it was bait, and you danced right along to Ghirahim's song. What if anyone had seen you? The existence of the Wind Mage and of magic needs to be kept secret." The Sheikah pressed a hand to her temple. "Only the Sheikah elite and the residents of the Abbey have been informed about you. I have not informed the government about you yet, Vaati, because they would be even stricter than I have been. If, however, rumors spread because you use magic in a public place, it would only be a matter of time before the government becomes involved. And if they ask me directly about you, I am required to tell the truth. We Sheikah largely have autonomy as an organization, but ultimately, we answer to the government. It is vital that you cooperate."

"Alright, I get it, I get it. Can we move on to the more important topic? You know, the one where Ghirahim is immune to even my magic and has some sinister thing he wants to use me and Link for?"

"Well, the running theory is that the Yiga want to resurrect Ganon," Link jumped in. "And they need your magic for that. No clue what he'd want me for, though."

"The Tri-Force?" Vaati suggested flatly.

The blonde turned to frown at his roommate. "What, you think that just because he looked at the back of my hand? Here, look!" He lifted his left hand and shoved it towards Vaati's face. "I don't have any weird triangle birthmarks or anything. I'm not the Hero, anyways, so there's no way I'd have it."

"Link, calm down," Impa said sharply. The blonde pulled back his hand. "We have to consider it as a possibility. We're dealing with many things that we thought were only legend. Anything might be possible."

Vaati barely caught Link's muttered reply. "I don't want to be the Hero, though..." The Mage stared at him quietly. He was rather touchy about that subject, though Vaati couldn't judge; he was the same on the topic of the Wind Mage.

"This doesn't change our plans, however," the white-haired Sheikah continued to speak. "Zelda has new information on the Four Sword; go see her and help with its restoration, Link. Vaati, you are not to leave the Abbey unless you receive my permission. You are dismissed."

The two students left her room and walked down the hall together. Link invited Vaati to go see Zelda with him, but he declined. Although it was only mid-afternoon, Vaati was mentally drained. To think, earlier he had been agonizing over his relationship with Link. Perhaps it was better that Ghirahim had interrupted him. He didn't really want to bring up awkward topics like that.

In his own room, Vaati collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling. They had learned so much and come so far, and yet he still felt like he was in the dark. Who exactly was Ghirahim? Were the Yiga actually attempting to resurrect Ganon? If they did, would Link be the Hero that would save Hyrule? And where did Vaati fit in in all this? How would this particular story end - with him imprisoned within the Four Sword once again, or with a new ending?

He knew he probably shouldn't, but he hoped for a happy ending.

* * *

A/N: I somewhat regret including Ghirahim in this story, simply because I know I don't do his character justice. Like, at all. He's my favorite Zelda villain (Vaati's in second place) but his personality is incredibly unique and I have a hard time capturing it... So, to my fellow Ghirahim fans, I sincerely apologize for my weak rendition of this fabulous character! Lee out!


	27. Chapter 26

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait! The last few weeks have been... stressful, to say the least. In good news, I'm going back to college in the fall for an English/Creative Writing degree. Part of the stress is all the forms and steps and planning that goes into transferring to a new college. The other part of the stress is roommate troubles. Such is life sometimes. Anyways, here is a very overdue chapter!

Pineapple: Confessional time. I suppose you could say Vaati and I are similar in a way: we're stubborn with whatever decisions we make. I threw Ghirahim into the story for fun, then realized I needed to figure out _why_ he's in the story, and just stubbornly kept him in it because it'd be weird to have him cameo and then vanish. Ahem, anyway, I am developing his role and promise to make it all make sense in the end!

Thank you to Okyaku-san, lordvaatithewindmage, C0rrupt3dSpy, and Tatl tael for your reviews, as well as a welcome to new followers C0rrupt3dSpy and TheSlakingKing!

* * *

Chapter 26

Zelda was waiting in the library, running a finger down the page of the book in front of her, several books stacked up to the side. She looked up when she heard Link's footsteps and waved. "How was your time with Vaati?" she greeted Link with a smile.

"Uh... eventful?" Link slid into the chair next to her. "We had a run-in with Ghirahim. Seems like he just wanted to size us up. Thankfully, he left without actually attacking us, but... Well, Vaati lost his temper. And then Impa lectured us afterward. And now I'm here." She sighed and slumped onto the table, burying her face in her arms. "I'm tired."

A gentle hand patted her shoulder. "I'm glad neither of you is hurt."

Link didn't reply. Of course, she was happy to still have all her limbs, but the reason Ghirahim had been so genial bothered her. She was useful to him somehow. She couldn't imagine how, though - she had no magic, like Vaati, or any special skills aside from being able to pull a rusty sword out of its crumbling pedestal. Whatever it was, she had to make sure he didn't trick her into doing anything for him.

"I found what we need to restore the Four Sword," Zelda said after a few moments. "Do you know about Force Gems?"

Link lifted her head and nodded thoughtfully. "I've seen a few come to our museum in Kakariko. They're those little triangular gems that have some sort of energy inside them, right?"

"Right! Well, from what I've read, Force Gems can power the Four Sword. Unlike the Master Sword, which houses a spirit and reacts to the Tri Force within the Hero wielding it, the Four Sword's power comes from external sources; Force Gems, specifically." Zelda flipped through a few pages in her book, then pointed to a section. She read aloud, "'Force Gems are the physical manifestation of the Life Force - not to be confused with the Tri Force or the Light Force. The Life Force is the energy within all living things: Hylian, Zora, animal, and plants. Force Gems can appear anywhere there is life, and are indeed abundant throughout Hyrule. However, they are not easily found. It is said that only those who are attuned to the Life Force can find these mysterious gems.'"

Zelda paused to take a deep breath. "So, we need to find enough of the gems and use them to restore the Four Sword."

"Alright, that sounds like a plan!" Link gave a thumbs-up. Then she frowned and tilted her head. "Er, are you 'attuned to the Life Force' so we can find these things?"

The blonde smiled and nodded. "Father Gaepora taught me a way to reveal the Force Gems around me. He suggested that we go to places that are energy-rich and collect as much as we can at a time. We will have to travel around Hyrule, likely for several days." Zelda brushed back her hair, frowning slightly at her book. "Unfortunately, I haven't any idea how many we'll need, or even how to use them to power the Four Sword..."

She blinked when Link stood up, stretching. "Then we'll just collect 'em until the sword starts glowing or something." She grinned. "A road trip sounds fun! Where should we go?"

"Ah, places such as sacred sites, forests, lakes..." Zelda trailed off as she thought. Then she grabbed a piece of paper and began writing. "I'll make a list of places we can go. Lake Hylia, the Zora Fountain..."

"Cortera Woods?" Link suggested. When Zelda looked up at her questioningly, she explained, "There's a fairy fountain there. That would be a good spot, right?"

Zelda nodded, eyes wide. "Did you see the fairy?"

"No. The fountain is mostly gone, actually. But Vaati and I followed a little fairy there, so there's still some sort of energy there. I don't know if I could find it again, though, now that I think about it..." She rubbed the back of her head. That night seemed like a really long time ago. She and Vaati had had a difficult time getting out of the woods; the fountain was in an area she'd never explored, and in the darkness, she hadn't been able to identify any landmarks by which to find her way back to the fountain.

"Anyways!" Link slapped her hands together and grinned at Zelda. "I'll let Impa know about it. She'll probably want us to leave tomorrow."

She turned to go but stopped when Zelda hesitantly called her name. The girl was looking at her with concern in her eyes. "Are you okay with restoring the Four Sword?"

Link didn't reply right away. 'Okay with it' didn't quite describe her feelings on the matter. She had agreed to help restore it, but she knew that when it regained its power, Vaati would be in danger.

"I don't particularly see the need," she murmured, absently tracing the spines of the books on the shelf in front of her. "I can't think of why we'd ever need to seal Vaati away, so why bother with the Four Sword instead of the Master Sword?"

There was a moment of silence before Zelda replied. She spoke slowly, with long pauses. "You know, Link... if something does go wrong, and he has to be sealed away... it wouldn't have to be for forever. Releasing him is as simple as removing the sword from its pedestal. I can't think of any situation that would force you to seal him, but... just know that you wouldn't be imprisoning him for eternity. If you really are the Hero... you have the power to decide Vaati's fate."

The power to decide Vaati's fate... Link lowered her hand, staring at it. Was that what being the Hero meant - holding the fate of others in your hands? She dropped her hand quickly. It wasn't worth worrying about; she couldn't be the Hero, anyways. All she knew was that she would protect Vaati and keep him away from that prison within the Four Sword.

* * *

 _Week Two of Winter Break, Sunday 3:15pm_

 _Location: Four Sword Sanctuary_

 _Status: Making final preparations to travel with the Four Sword_

Link found her eyes wandering, straying over the mossy murals of the Sanctuary walls, trying to make out what ancient story they depicted. Beside her, Zelda diligently watched Father Gaepora as he detailed how they would extract the energy from the Force Gems and what the sword would look like once it had enough power. He held the Four Sword in front of him, resting on a cloth in his palms. There was something of the solemnity of a ceremony in the way he spoke and the setting they were in.

The murals just behind and above the priest's head were of large, one-eyed bats, clear to see even with the decay. They were spiraling down, down, towards the pedestal where they would be sealed for another millennium. Link wondered if any records of The Wind Mage's human appearance existed. He hadn't always been a monstrous, one-eyed bat. Was he just like the Vaati she knew now - pale skin contrasted with dark purple hair and red eyes? Slender but not tall, with facial features that were slightly feminine but only added to his handsome, elegant look? She let a ghost of a laugh escape. No, the historians wouldn't record it if the Wind Mage was handsome. They depicted him as the monster he had been.

"Link, take the sword." Father Gaepora's deep voice interrupted her thoughts. She quickly reached out, taking the sword in both hands. The priest also offered her a sheath, a simple blue one edged with gold borders. "We entrust the Four Sword to your care. Zelda will instruct you on how to harness the energy of the Force Gems. When it is restored, we shall know for certain if you are the chosen Hero, Link." He bowed his head. "The Goddesses bless you both."

Link and Zelda bowed respectfully in return. With that, the ceremony came to an end. Link lifted the sheathed sword, examining it. The worn hilt of the sword contrasted sharply with the brand-new sheath it was housed in. Who would suspect that this rusted sword in its simple sheath was one of the legendary blades of Hyrule? She tied it to her hip, feeling an instant sense of security when she did.

"If you're thinking it makes you look cool, it doesn't." Link turned at the voice, sticking her tongue out. Vaati had been standing a few paces away, along with Impa and Aveil, and he was staring at the sword hanging from Link's side critically. "Why don't you wear it on your back?"

"Shows how much you know about swords!" Link replied with a scoff. "You can't actually draw a sword from your back. At least, not one this long."

"So, you're saying you just have short arms. Like the rest of you."

To that, Link turned to Zelda, leaning forward and theatrically placing a hand near the girl's ear. "He's just jealous that I have a sword and he doesn't," she fake-whispered, more than loud enough for Vaati to hear. "And that we're going on a trip and he isn't."

She hit the mark; Vaati scowled at her fiercely in reply but didn't deny it. Impa had essentially placed him under house arrest at the Abbey for the rest of the break. Link and Zelda would be traveling together alone.

"Keep your eyes open," Impa warned them. "The Yiga will likely be watching you and might even try to prevent you from restoring the sword. Your safety is the priority, but don't allow them to steal or damage the sword, either. Contact me if there is an emergency."

"Send me lots of pictures of all the places you guys go," Aveil added with a smile, patting Link's shoulder. "I'll drill Vaati hard while you're gone, so just relax and have fun on your trip."

Link chuckled when Vaati sputtered in response to that. "Don't worry, I'll have lots of fun!" she grinned. Admittedly, she was a little disappointed that Vaati wouldn't be going with them, but she knew Impa wouldn't budge, so it wasn't worth pouting about. "I'll send you pictures, too," she told Vaati.

"Spare me," he replied sarcastically.

Zelda tapped the blonde on the shoulder. "Our train leaves soon, Link." They bid farewell and left the Sanctuary, the Four Sword swinging at Link's hip.

* * *

"Hey, so, what exactly happens when the sword is all restored and stuff?" Link asked Zelda after they'd been on the train about fifteen minutes. The sword was currently strapped to her backpack and stored above their heads.

Zelda looked away from the window with a minute frown. "Well... it depends. It's possible that nothing will happen, other than the physical appearance of the sword changing. But more likely, it will split you into four copies. It _is_ the Four Sword, after all."

"What, right then and there?! What if we're in a super public place and everyone suddenly sees four of me holding swords?"

"No, no, we'll make sure to finish the restoration back at the Sanctuary." Zelda gave a tiny laugh. "It would be very interesting to see four of you."

Link turned her head to the window, peering at her reflection. What exactly was it like to have three other copies of yourself? Would it be super confusing, or would they all get along well since they were the same person? She chuckled when she thought about Vaati and how he'd react if there were four Links. It might be worth it just to see his expression. "But, only if I'm the Hero, right?" she turned back to Zelda.

The girl nodded. "That will tell us for certain if you are the Hero."

"What happens after I get split into four - I mean, _if_ I get split. How do I go back to normal?"

"You just place the Four Sword in its pedestal. That acts as a seal on its power, including the power to make copies of the user."

"So I'll be four people the whole time the sword's not in the pedestal?"

"I think so."

The whole idea was really strange. Sure, it had its perks - Link could spar and train with herself, split up homework and chores, and maybe play some pranks - but there were also the problems of figuring out where they'd all sleep, and feeding all four of them, and just the general confusion from having four of her. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to worry about it. The sword would be restored, but she would remain the one and only Link, and the whole Hero idea could be tossed out the window.

"Wake me up when we get there, will ya?" Link asked Zelda, nudging her companion and then shifting herself so her head was leaning against the window. It wasn't long before the train's motion sent her off to sleep.

* * *

 _Location: Lake Hylia Hotel and Resorts_

Link walked backward as she stared at the enormous domed ceiling of the resort lobby. It was painted like there was water above the dome, with various Zoras and fish swimming through the water. A glass chandelier extended down from the pinnacle, casting light that only amplified the underwater look. Only Zelda tapping Link on the shoulder saved her from plowing into others as she stared at the beautiful architecture.

"Hey, do you think we'll have time to go swimming?" she asked her companion excitedly. "I've heard the water slides here are intense!"

She quickly realized after the words left her mouth that she wouldn't be doing anything of the sort. Her cover as a guy had been successful so far, but there wasn't any way for her to go swimming without Zelda noticing. Before Zelda could reply, she amended, "I didn't bring any swimming trunks or anything, though. Too bad! Next time, water slides!"

Zelda giggled at Link's energetic behavior. "Perhaps they have some at the souvenir shop. Water resorts often do. We need to check in first, though." She waved for Link to follow her to the front desk.

"Two rooms, please," she greeted the lady at the desk politely. Link opened her mouth to question why two instead of one, but then quickly remembered - as a 'guy', she couldn't exactly share a room with Zelda. Even after acting as a guy for four months, she still forgot things like that sometimes. Then again, she probably wouldn't think twice about sharing a room with Vaati. Maybe it was because he didn't seem like the type that would ever be romantically interested in anyone, least of all Link; even if he knew Link was a girl, she would still feel safe rooming with him.

They got a room on the sixth floor. Link took several pictures of the hotel as they walked back through the lobby to the elevators, then down the blue-carpeted halls to their adjacent rooms. They only paused briefly to drop off their things in their rooms before going back down, but Link quickly snapped shots of the jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and the giant flat screen TV and king-size bed. She sent all of them to Vaati with the caption: _Feelin' the luxury. Be very jealous lol_. Slinging the Four Sword, which was in a long bag with a strap, over one shoulder, Link trotted back into the hall.

She got Vaati's reply as she and Zelda were riding the elevator down. _Don't spam me with pics. Is blue seriously the only color there? Cheesy_

Zelda looked over at Link when she chuckled, tilting her head questioningly. "I'm trying to make Vaati jealous of the fancy hotel we get to stay in," Link explained, pointing to her phone screen. "He just thinks it's too blue."

"You know, Link... I used to think he was a bad person," Zelda mused, looking down at the polished metal floor of the elevator. Link lowered her phone, wondering why she'd brought that up all of a sudden. "And I would still say so - he was not a very good person when I first met him. But he's changed. He used to be full of... frustration, directed at everyone. There is a lot less of that inside him now. I think now, he is learning to care about others. In many ways he acts the same as he used to, but I can tell that his heart is changing." She lifted her head to smile at Link. "It's thanks to you. You help Vaati become a better person." She pointed at the phone. "You treat him as your friend, and in return he's learned how to act as a friend, too."

Link stared at the black screen of her phone for a long moment, before slowly grinning to herself. "You should tell Impa all that."

"I think she also sees how he has changed. But she doesn't seem like the type to soften up for anyone..."

"Yeah, actually, that's true. She never softened up on me until she was absolutely, positively, 100% confident in my abilities. It made me work really hard to get her approval. Maybe she's just doing that to make Vaati try harder. Can't tell him that, though," Link laughed.

The elevator came to a stop, the metal doors sliding open. Link and Zelda strode out into the hotel lobby. "Alright, to the ferry, right?" Link asked her companion.

Zelda nodded, and the two headed out of the hotel, walking down to the docks on Lake Hylia. Their first destination lay in the middle of the lake, on Hylia Island. There, the restoration of the Four Sword would truly begin.


	28. Chapter 27

A/N: This chapter was quicker to write since I wrote out an outline of the next several events (for once). Next chapter, big things happen! Thanks for your patience with my irregular updates.

Welcome to Ed's lil Alchemist!

* * *

Chapter 27

 _Lake Hylia Ferry Services_

The sky was already dark when Link and Zelda arrived at the ferry office. Lights from the nearby resort and the grand bridge that arched high over the lake reflected off of the dark water, yellows and whites against black. Link briefly paused on the dock to listen to the gentle lapping of the water against the wooden planks. Little chunks of ice floated on top of the water, though most of the lake was unfrozen. There was no one else out at this time, and the quiet was calming.

"Link...?" Zelda called softly. When she turned, she saw the other girl pointing to the unlit 'Open' sign on the ferry office.

Trotting over, Link replied, "No problem. I knew they closed early on Sunday, which is exactly what we need - no one else will be on Hylia Island, then."

Zelda nodded slowly but kept her frown. "How will we get to the island, though?"

"Perks of being a Sheikah agent - I show them this, and I'm sure they'll take us over." The blonde pulled out her wallet, digging in a hidden pocket and pulling out her Sheikah ID card, holding it up for Zelda to see. "Most people think of us as government workers, so they usually cooperate."

She pocketed the ID, marching up to the door and giving it three solid raps. The office had only closed recently, and there was a light visible from somewhere inside, so she knew there was someone still there. When there was no reply after several long moments, she knocked again, louder this time. "Excuse me, we need a ferry to Hylia Island!" she shouted.

A few seconds passed; then she heard heavy footsteps and the lock on the door turning. The door opened to reveal a tired-looking man. "I'm sorry, but we're done ferrying for the day."

"I know. But we need to get to Hylia Island tonight. I'd swim, except it's kinda too cold for that. Oh yeah, and I'm with the government, so if you could just do us a favor this once?" Link handed the man her ID.

He stared at it, then looked up at Link, then back down at the card in his hand. He gave a heavy sigh and handed it back. "The island can be dangerous at night. Sure you wanna go?" When Link nodded, he sighed again. "I have a hard time believing a kid like you is from the government, but whatever. Just don't get into any trouble; there and back, alright?"

Link saluted with a big smile. "You got it! Thanks!"

The man mumbled something and gestured for the two of them to follow him inside. He led them through the office to another door which led to the dock where the ferryboats were docked. Instead of one of the ferries, however, he walked over to a small boat, the kind people used for pleasure rides on the lake. The ferryman pulled a flashlight from his belt and shone it at his feet as he clambered into the boat. Link and Zelda waited expectantly on the dock while he went about turning the motor and lights on.

"What're you kids waiting for?" the ferryman called, pointing his flashlight at their faces. "Get on."

Link eagerly hopped into the boat. It was even more unsteady than the floating docks, and she was tempted to jump up and down just to see how much it moved. Zelda followed much more slowly and carefully. The ferryman waited to make sure both were steady on their feet, then untied the rope holding the boat to the dock. "Take a seat," he gestured to the seats at the back of the ferry. Without waiting to see if they'd sat down, he marched away to pilot the ship.

Link settled herself facing backward, watching the little waves the boat left in its wake as it motored forward. The wind blew at her back, and she wished she'd worn a thicker coat. At least it wasn't snowing; the winter had been cold but not very snowy. She blew puffs of warm air to pass the time, trying to make them as big as possible.

Not surprisingly, she almost fell asleep before they arrived at the island. Zelda tugged at the sleeve of her jacket, waking her. The Sheikah jerked to attention. "Oh, are we there already? Cool!" She stood and stretched out her arms while the ferryman docked the boat and tied it up to the pier.

"Make it quick, kid," he told Link with a tired stare.

Link gave a grin and a salute, and hopped out of the boat, helping Zelda out as well. "To the center of the island, right?"

Zelda nodded. "It is the very center of the lake, so there should be many Force Gems there."

The two left the wooden pier and headed onto the dirt path, Link shining the light from her phone as they walked. The island was fairly small, maybe the size of a soccer field, with a gradual slope leading to a crest, and then a dip in the center, like someone had scooped out the middle of the island. There were several barren trees scattered around. At the center of the island lay a short stone obelisk, marking the exact middle of Lake Hylia. The grass sparkled with frost when Link shined her light on it.

They halted in front of the marker. Link slid the Four Sword off of her shoulder and pulled it out of its bag, then slid the sheath off. The gem in its hilt sparkled briefly - or maybe she imagined it. She tilted her head questioningly at Zelda. "What's first?"

"I must draw out the Force Gems in the area," the girl replied. She took a deep breath, then brought her hands up in front of her, clasping them together and bowing her head as though in prayer. Her lips moved as she silently mouthed some sort of prayer or spell.

Link respectfully took a step back, watching her friend as she performed this strange ritual. It felt fit for a fairytale: the princess praying, her loyal knight several feet away with the legendary sword. She tilted her head up to look at the stars. Even more than feeling like a fairytale, she felt a strange sense of belonging - a feeling that she was exactly where she was supposed to be at that moment, here with Zelda and the Four Sword.

She lowered her head, only to gasp in surprise. Scattered around Zelda's feet were a few dozen tiny gems, sparkling with their own light. Zelda turned to Link with a smile. "There are fewer than I thought there would be, but we can begin with these. Here." She bent down and picked up a blue one, handing it to Link. "If you press it to the Four Sword's gem, it should absorb its energy."

Link took the little triangular crystal, turning it over in her hand. It reminded her of a Rupee, the crystals used for a large portion of Hyrule's history as the currency. Strangely, it wasn't cold, despite having been on the frozen ground moments before. She lifted the sword in her left hand and pressed the Force Gem to its hilt. Both gems glowed brightly for a long second; then the Force Gem faded away - literally, disappearing into nothingness. The sword's gem sparkled a moment longer before it too lost its glow.

"It works!" Link exclaimed. She turned the sword this way and that, looking for any changes. It still seemed just as rusty as before, though.

"We will have to use more before it starts to heal itself." Zelda knelt and gathered the gems into a pile, patting it and looking up at Link. "If you put the sword on top of this pile, it should be able to absorb all of them."

That was a much better way than doing one gen at a time. Link walked over and knelt beside Zelda, carefully laying the Four Sword on top of the multicolored gems. Once again, the sword's gem and the gems under it began to glow. It was brighter this time, a rainbow of blue, green, red, and purple. She glanced at the blade, and her eyes widened. The rust was slowly receding from the edges, like frost melting.

They watched in awed silence as the gems slowly faded away, the Four Sword glowing, its blade ridding itself of most of the rust. When the sword had also stopped glowing, Link slowly reached out for the hilt.

As her fingers curled around the worn leather, a shock went through her entire body. It wasn't exactly pain, but rather as though something heavy hit her, a force that would have made her stumble had she been standing. Her other hand shot out, bracing against the ground. The shock vanished quickly, however, and she was left with only her rapidly beating heart.

The gem in the Four Sword, normally green, briefly glowed a blue color before returning to normal.

"Link? Are you okay?" Zelda's concerned voice, right by her ear, made Link startle slightly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine!" She stood up and grabbed the Four Sword's sheath, sliding it in and then putting it in its bag again. "Looks like using the Force Gems is the right answer. We'll have it restored in no time!" She held out a thumbs-up.

Zelda looked at her closely for a moment, then nodded. "The ferryman is waiting. We should go."

The left the marker and the empty island, crunching over the frosty grass back to the pier and the tired ferryman.

* * *

 _Report: Sunday 12-22_

 _Member: Link_

 _Zelda Nohansen and I went to Hylia Island in the middle of Lake Hylia to find Force Gems. She was successful in finding the gems, and we were able to transfer their energy into the Four Sword. Some of the rust has faded from the blade. I am not sure how many Force Gems it will take to completely restore the sword._

 _I experienced a strange sensation when I picked up the sword after it had absorbed the gems. A shock, or like something heavy hit me. It disappeared quickly. Will report if the sword exhibits any other abnormal effects._

* * *

 _Monday, 10:05am_

 _Location: Zora's Domain National Park_

After thoroughly enjoying the resort's buffet breakfast (many pictures of the meal were spammed to Vaati), Link and Zelda had traveled upriver to the Zora's Domain. The fountain at the top of the waterfall was there next location for collecting Force Gems. However, they had to wait until the fountain closed to the public before they could do anything. Rather than stay at the hotel all day, they had come to check out the park.

Located in the mountains, the park was a beautiful place. The Zora River cut through the mountains, forming deep valleys and various waterfalls. The mountains were made of a silvery blue stone that sparkled in the sunlight. Bridges of shining blue metal crisscrossed the river at intervals. Clear and crystalline was an apt way to describe Zora's Domain.

Link took a picture of every single bridge they crossed as she and Zelda hiked up the trail to the Zora Fountain. She would pause and leaned over the railing to snap a picture of how high up they were, or stop to take a selfie with the waterfalls in the background, or halt for a flower growing in a crack in the stone. Each and every picture went to Vaati.

 _Vaati: Seriously, stop spamming me_

 _Link: but isn't it all so pretty?!_

 _Vaati: You don't have to send a picture of every single square inch of the place_

 _Link: fiiiiine. have a selfie, then! (attached a selfie pretending to drink the waterfall in the background, but the angle was off)_

 _Vaati: Your photography skills need work_

 _Link: you could at least acknowledge my creativity!_

 _Vaati: How is the restoration of the sword going_

 _Link: most of the rust is gone! goin' to the Zora Fountain tonite. hey random question: can you teleport?_

 _Vaati: What makes you think I can do that_

 _Link: cuz the Wind Mage could. and if you could, then you could come here for a bit!_

 _Vaati: Even if I could, I wouldn't. That'd be asking Impa to kill me. Have to practice now. Don't spam me any more photos_

Link sighed and slid her phone into her pocket. It would be really cool if Vaati could teleport. Even better, if he could teleport himself and other people. Imagine all the places they could go in just a few moments! She'd have to try again to convince him to try it out.

* * *

 _9:00pm_

 _Zora Fountain_

"Excuse me," Link waved to the female Zora standing in front of the metal gate blocking the entrance to the Zora Fountain. The blue-skinned humanoid looked down at the blonde, tilting her head. Link pulled out her ID. "I'm with the Sheikah. I need access to the fountain for just a few minutes."

The Zora looked at Zelda, standing behind Link. "And who is she?"

"Zelda Nohansen," the girl replied, bowing her head respectfully.

"Nohansen? And a Sheikah..." The Zora thought for a moment. "What are you here for?"

Link pointed to the sword hanging from her shoulder. "We're in the process of restoring the Four Sword. We have to gather Force Gens from energy-rich locations. It won't disturb the fountain or anything. We just needed to come when there aren't any other visitors."

"The Four Sword...? I didn't know it still existed. Hm, I will let you in, but someone will have to accompany you."

"Fair enough. Thanks!"

The Zora called for one of her coworkers, a rust-red male Zora, then unlocked the gate for them. "Good luck," she called as they entered the fountain.

They had stopped at the fountain earlier in the day, but Link still stared in awe at the cavern that the source of the river's flow rested in. At night, the pale purple, pink, and blue crystals in the stone sparkled, and the rippling water glowed faintly, making the whole cave bright with color and light.

Zelda took her place by the water's edge, clasping her hands and bowing her head again. Link and the Zora guard watched silently. This time, even Link could feel it - a sort of pure energy in the walls and the water. One at a time, small gems sparkled into existence on the cave floor, adding to the rainbow of color. By the time Zelda lifted her head, there was easily twice the amount of Force Gems as they had found at Hylia Island.

"What - what are these?" the Zora stammered, turning to one side and then the other in wonder.

"Force Gems. They are the physical manifestations of the Life Force," Zelda explained quietly. Her blue eyes reflected the sparkling crystals all around them. "It's so beautiful..." she murmured.

Link knelt, gathering the gems together into a pile like last time. Then she took the Four Sword and carefully placed it on top. The entire cavern glowed with a hundred colors as the sword and the gems reacted to one another. Link watched breathlessly as the rust faded away completely and the leather on the hilt became whole and shiny. It no longer looked as though it would break with one swing. The Force Gems faded away and the Four Sword's gem dimmed.

All three stared at the sword for a long time. Then Link tentatively reached out to grab it. Would it shock her like the day before? She had pondered over that for hours before she finally fell asleep. Did it shock her because she was not the right one to wield it? Or was it actually reacting to her as the Hero? She prayed that nothing would happen this time, and let her hand touch the hilt.

The shock hit her, harder this time, and she actually gasped aloud, jerking forward as some unknown force temporarily overwhelmed her. She noticed it more clearly this time - the sword's gem changed from green to purple. As the shock faded from her body, the gem also faded back to green.

Zelda exclaimed in surprise and concern, but Link held up a hand and gave her a smile. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, making sure her voice didn't sound as breathless as she felt. She stood up and held up the sword, peering at it closely and running a thumb over the blade's edge. "We're almost there. Just the edge needs to be sharpened. We might finish it at the next place we go."

"Where are you going next?" the Zora guard asked, a frown creasing his brow.

Link turned to Zelda, who replied, "Kakariko City. May I ask why you wish to know?"

"There is supposed to be a big snow storm coming tomorrow, in the early afternoon. I don't recommend traveling until after it passes."

The two students looked at each other. That was news to them. So they would have to stay at the hotel until it passed. Link rubbed the back of her head. "How long is it supposed to last?"

The Zora shook his head gravely. "Two or three days, last I heard."

"Well... nothing we can do about the weather!" Link hoisted the Four Sword over her shoulder. "Thanks for the warning. We'll head off, then."

They gave their thanks to the two Zoras and left the glittering fountain behind. Snowflakes were already lazily floating to the ground by the time they made it back to the hotel. Link wondered how it could possibly go from no snow to a snowstorm in a day, but winter weather was crazy and unreliable like that. It was a good thing they'd been warned.

When she got to her room, Link flopped onto her bed and pulled out her phone to write out her daily report. It was much the same as yesterdays' - they went to the Fountain, found the gems, and used them on the sword, as well as that strange sensation she felt when she picked it up. She almost didn't want to include that in the report. No one else had touched the sword since it had come into her possession, but she still had a feeling that she was the only one the sword would react to, just as she was the only one who could pull it from its pedestal.

She sighed and buried her face in a pillow. No, she just had to believe it had no meaning. It was just loose energy escaping from the sword when she touched it. It didn't mean anything special. She would only believe she was the Hero when she saw a copy of herself.


	29. Chapter 28

A/N: This and the next chapter - or at least, the main ideas - have been in my mind basically since the beginning. Longest chapter to date; like, significantly longer than normal. I thought about splitting it into two but couldn't find a good spot to split it. So, here is a giant chapter! Very pleased to finally deliver this. Enjoy.

(I'm refraining from exclamation points to try to hide my excitement)

* * *

Chapter 28

 _Thursday, 11am_

 _Eastern Abbey_

The snow went nearly to his knees, but Vaati was walking in it anyways. In the courtyard of the Abbey, less wind and snow was able to enter, but there were still impressive snowdrifts piled against the building. The snowstorm was not nearly as fierce as the last two days; it had been nearly impossible to see anything but white, whereas now the dark walls of the Abbey were easy to see. Still, the snow fell and fell without pause.

Vaati kept close to the Abbey, walking the perimeter of the courtyard. Even he had grown tired of being cooped up inside. Coming outside was an attempt to cure his cabin fever. It was just making his feet cold, though.

He held out a hand and snapped his fingers. A little flame burst to life above his palm, flickering dangerously in the wind. He wondered how much fire it would take to melt all the snow in the courtyard. Too much for him to control, he knew. Fire had a will of its own, unlike the wind, which flowed so easily according to his commands. It would be easier for him to simply blow all of the snow up and away from the courtyard. Or perhaps drop it right back down.

The Mage scoffed quietly to himself. That sounded like something Link would tell him to do. The blonde was always suggesting mischievous things to do with his magic. He was actually really creative, though, and sometimes came up with ideas that Vaati wished he had thought of himself.

If he was here, he'd probably be dragging Vaati through the snow with him, throwing snowballs and jumping into the deeper drifts, without a care about how much snow was getting on him. Vaati might throw some snowballs back just to get even.

Vaati had realized on Tuesday - the first day of the storm when everyone had been forced to shelter inside - that he had a difficult time remembering that Link wasn't there. Perhaps it was because they were roommates and had seen each other every day for almost five months that he kept expecting to see the blonde, or kept almost going to his room to tell him something. Unable to practice magic inside, Vaati had spent most of his time in the library. Even there, though, he would sometimes find himself lifting his head to say something to Link, only to remember he was alone.

It frustrated him more than just a little. Did he really pay attention to Link's presence that much, or was it just the cabin fever making him feel like he was missing something? Aveil picked up on Vaati's mistakes and teased him, saying he was just lovesick at being apart from Link. To which Vaati sent a horde of Keese after her.

"She's wrong," he huffed, kicking at the snow and sending it flying into his own face. Sputtering, he wiped his face off and added, "I'm perfectly fine without him around. Sure, it's less boring when he's here, but I don't _need_ him."

The wind picked up, whistling between the Abbey walls surrounding the courtyard and drowning out Vaati's voice. Vaati pulled his scarf up, squinting against the snow. It looked like the storm was getting worse again. He sighed and turned around, following his own deep footprints back to the door.

Inside he pulled off his boots and walked barefoot back to his room. The stone floor was achingly cold. They really needed to update the Abbey and add more heating; fireplaces in every room were nice, but not quite enough to shake off the winter chill. He dropped his boots in front of the fireplace in his room and sat down on his bed with a sigh.

He was wondering what to do when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, Vaati saw it was a message from Link. The blonde had been texting him every day since he left. This was the first time he'd messaged today, though.

 _Link: I'm dying_

 _Vaati: You were perfectly fine yesterday_

 _Link: I think I got a cold from playing in the snow without a coat..._

 _Vaati: I told you it was a stupid idea_

 _Link: but I was super bored. there's nothing to do..._

 _Vaati: Waterpark? Hang out with Zelda? Eat at the buffet?_

 _Link: (sent a selfie of him lying in bed, hair loose and incredibly messy, and dark circles under eyes)_

He actually did look sick. Vaati brushed his bangs back, thumbs hovering over his phone screen. He had zero clues how to help someone who was sick.

 _Vaati: Does Zelda know you're sick?_

 _Link: ...no_

 _Vaati: Why the heck are you telling me?! I can't help you_

 _Link: well... I feel less horrible after talking to you. cuz you're always fun! hey, are you sure you can't teleport?_

Vaati sighed, shaking his head. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted to try it out. But Impa had made it incredibly clear that he was not to step foot outside of the Abbey. She was probably rejoicing over the convenient snowstorm that forcibly kept him inside.

 _Vaati: Already told you I can't_

 _Link: you mean won't. you could come in the evening, and she would just think you're in your room_

 _Vaati: For the last time, no_

 _Link: okay... I'm just gonna sleep or something then... bye_

 _Vaati: Sorry_

The Mage stared at the message he had just sent, frowning in confusion. Wait, what was he sorry about? He was just doing what he was supposed to. And yet, Link's last message seemed almost disappointed. He was sick and alone, and his best friend refused to go see him. Vaati grumbled to himself. What was he supposed to do?

His phone vibrated. To his surprise, it wasn't Link, but rather his least favorite person.

 _Aveil: Hey handsome. Got a minute?_

 _Vaati: Since you'll probably pester me either way, fine. What do you want_

 _Aveil: Meet me in the library_

 _Vaati: Right now?_

 _Aveil: Yes. See you soon!_

Well, it wasn't like he was doing anything important. Vaati grabbed his slippers and reluctantly walked down to the quiet library. The Gerudo was already there, wearing several thick layers even though she was indoors. She waved and smiled at Vaati; he just scowled at her.

"What do you want?" he asked shortly.

Aveil stuck her hands in her coat pockets. "Have you heard anything from Link lately?"

"Yeah. He texts me every day. Why?"

"Well, I was a bit worried about how he's doing. He doesn't do too well when he's cooped up for too long. He's the kind for action. With this storm, I was wondering if he's feeling alright."

Vaati crossed his arms. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"Oh, he wouldn't tell me." Aveil shook her head, ponytail swinging. "He doesn't like to burden others with his problems, especially when they're ones he can't physically tackle. That's the one area in which he does tend to lie. But you, however -" the Gerudo pointed at Vaati "- he might tell you the truth."

He'd never realized that about Link, but when he thought about it, it was true. That time when Impa had threatened to take him off the case, Link had kept it to himself. Even recently, Vaati felt that Link was struggling with the idea of being the Hero, but he wouldn't voice it aloud. "...He said he's sick," Vaati sighed. "And that he didn't even tell Zelda."

Aveil nodded slowly several times. "That's Link for you. He's tried to train more than once while running a fever. He'd really rather do _anything_ than stay in bed all day."

An idea nagged at him, but he pushed it down. No, he'd already said he wouldn't. Aveil tilted her head, smirking at Vaati. "You look like you want to say something."

"No..." he muttered, looking away. "Just thinking that Link's an idiot for making himself sick if he hates it that much..."

"You should go visit him."

Vaati snapped his head up. "One, I'm under house arrest, and two, how would I do that?" he retorted with a glare.

Aveil's smirk was amused and smug. "You're the Wind Mage, are you not? And if I remember correctly, the Wind Mage can teleport. Quite convenient! Go see your dear Link and cheer him up. It'd do your lovesick heart good, too." She winked.

"For the last time-!"

"I'll even get Impa's permission," the redhead interrupted. When Vaati stared at her in shock, she continued, "She knows how Link is when he's sick. I can convince her to let you go and take care of him." He still didn't reply, so she held out a hand. "If I do, you have to agree to do it. What do you say, handsome?"

He lowered his eyes to her outstretched hand. Part of him wanted to say yes, to try out teleporting and go finally see Link. Another part was strangely nervous at the idea. He wanted to see Link, and yet there was something almost embarrassing about how much he wished to see his friend.

Vaati seized Aveil's hand and shook it firmly. "Fine. _If_ you can convince her, I'll go."

"Oh, I promise you I will," she replied with that confident smirk. "Why don't you go and practice teleporting while I talk to Impa?" She waved a hand like she was shooing him away, then sauntered off.

The violet-haired student just stared at her retreating form, sighing heavily. The way she always had an upper hand in their conversations annoyed him to no end. She seemed to be quick to identify weak points and loved to exploit them. At least she didn't really seem to do it for her own gain, Vaati had to concede. Aveil had a genuine love for her pupil Link - even Vaati could see that.

But how was he supposed to practice teleporting? He only knew the general concept - forcing your body to vanish and then reappear in a different location. The location had to be one he knew, however, or he might end up somewhere completely different. How exactly did he force his own body to move?

Was it similar to summoning creatures? No, they were formed from magic, not actually summoned from anywhere. Perhaps he needed to practice on inanimate objects first. If he could master teleporting those, then he could move on to teleporting himself.

Vaati turned around to the hundreds of books in the library. Plenty of material to practice with. He was pretty confident he wouldn't accidentally vaporize them. He grabbed a few books from the shelf nearest him and marched over to a table, setting them down at one end.

Now then... Vaati focused on the book on top, willing it to move. Wind whispered around him, curling under the book and lifting it up. He frowned, dismissing the wind. He didn't simply want it to move; he wanted it to vanish and then reappear. The wind wrapped around the book once again as he willed it to vanish. No, no, why was the wind reacting when he wanted the book to teleport?

Vaati brushed his bangs back, staring at the books. His magic was usually fairly intuitive; he imagined what he wanted to do, and the magic did the rest. So perhaps the wind was actually a part of the teleportation spell, though he wasn't sure why or how.

He placed his hands on either side of the pile and took a deep breath. The magic would work if he let it. Once again, the wind curled around the book, lifting it slightly. The other side of the table was the goal. Vaati concentrated on the destination, just willing the book to appear there. The wind whirled tightly around the book, almost as though it was squeezing it. As he watched, the book grew dark, turning black like a shadow, and then it began to warp, the wind stretching it flat. He nearly held his breath as its shadowy form vanished.

The wind flew towards the other end of the table, swirling in one spot. Shadows began to collect at the center of the wind, forming the shape of the book. In the reverse of how it had vanished, the book reformed, and the wind gently set it down on the spot Vaati had been focusing on.

He let out his breath and smiled. Well, that was a lot easier than he thought it'd be. Basically, the wind transformed the item into a sort of shadow, which it then carried to the destination and reconstructed. As long as it was wind magic, Vaati knew he could perform the spell well.

Then again, the idea of transforming himself into shadows and then being reconstructed was slightly unnerving. He would essentially become nothing but wind and shadow. Would he be able to stay in control then?

Aveil returned about an hour later. By then, Vaati had teleported the books dozens of times. He could move them individually or as a group, and could even place them each in different spots at the same time. As long as he could imagine where he wanted them to go, the wind obeyed his commands and brought them there.

"Oh, looks like you've mastered it already!" Aveil's voice came from behind as he was in the process of teleporting books from the shelves to the table. Vaati turned to see her smiling, clearly pleased. "Shall I share the news with you?"

"You got Impa to say yes," he replied flatly. He could tell by her smile.

"As promised. And now, handsome, are you ready to go?"

He turned his head to look at the books on the table. "I haven't practiced teleporting myself yet."

The Gerudo waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, it can't be that hard. You're a natural. Just start by teleporting over here." She beckoned to him, raising her eyebrows when he didn't immediately respond.

With a sigh, he turned to face her fully. She was about ten feet away. All he needed to do was focus on the spot in front of her and will the wind to teleport him there. Vaati took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He pictured Aveil, and himself appearing in front of her. The wind tugged at his clothes, wrapping around him like a blanket. He tried to ignore the thought that he was going to turn into shadow, the wind pulling him apart. Just focus on his destination...

It really did feel like a blanket, tight and secure. He struggled to keep his mind on Aveil as he realized his consciousness was slowly fading into darkness. It was as though the wind was putting him to sleep.

Vaati blacked out, but only for a moment. He soon could feel the wind around him again, and he opened his eyes, only to startle back. Aveil was right in front of him.

"See, that wasn't so hard," she chided.

The Mage quickly looked himself over. He was all intact, of course; there was also no cloudiness in his mind, despite having blacked out. He let out a relieved sigh. "That was a little strange but not as bad as I thought it might be," he murmured, more to himself than Aveil. "Still... I probably shouldn't do it too often. Turning to nothing and then back can't be good for my body."

The Gerudo chuckled. "I wonder about that. Anyways, now you can go visit poor bedridden Link." She waved him away. "Go on, before Impa changes her mind!"

"...Did you actually get her to say yes?" Vaati frowned at her dubiously.

"It wasn't a no," Aveil smirked.

"So you're the one that was a bad influence on Link. Whatever. I'll go. But I better not get in trouble for this."

"Oh, don't worry, just go and have fun!" Her smile was a little too suggestive for Vaati's liking, and he growled lightly. There wasn't any point in arguing with her, though, so he just brushed past her and walked back to his room.

He grabbed his phone, checking for any new messages from Link. There weren't any. Had he actually fallen asleep? Just to be sure, Vaati sent him a text.

 _Vaati: Are you awake?_

The reply came quicker than he expected: _yeah. can't sleep for some reason_

 _Vaati: Okay something's definitely wrong with you. I'll be there soon._

 _Link: ...wait, like, you're actually coming?_

 _Vaati: No I was lying_

 _Link: :c_

He actually gave a small laugh at Link's reply. It was a bit fun to do the teasing for once. Link was in for a surprise. Vaati slid his phone into his pocket and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure how well attempting to teleport all the way to the hotel by Lake Hylia would work, but there was only one way to find out.

He closed his eyes and pictured Link, and let the wind take him away.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in a room with deep blue walls and a blue-gray carpet. Most of the room was in shadow; thick curtains were drawn over the window, blocking out the weak winter sunlight. Vaati could make out a bed in front of him. The sheets were a mess and only one pillow remained on the mattress. The Mage squinted, looking around for Link. He didn't seem to be in bed. It was too dark, though, for him to make anything out clearly.

He cautiously made his way towards where he assumed the door and a light switch would be. His hands searched out the area in front of him, making sure he wasn't about to run into any walls. A rustle somewhere behind him made him pause. Vaati strained to listen, but the room was silent. With a quiet sigh, he resumed his search for the light switch.

Just as his fingers made contact with the small plastic switch, Vaati felt a sudden pressure on his throat. There was something thin, cold, and hard against his skin - it didn't take much for him to realize it was a knife. The Mage froze, hand outstretched.

"Who are you and why are you here?" a low voice whispered behind him.

Vaati inhaled sharply - that was Link's voice. "Link, it's me, Vaati," he replied, still not sure if moving was safe. "Aveil bugged me into visiting you."

"Vaati...?! Really?! Turn on the light!"

The violet-haired man flipped the switch up, blinking at the sudden brightness. After a moment, Link pulled the knife away from Vaati's neck, allowing him to turn around and glare at the blonde. "Geez, what was that for?" Vaati grumbled.

Link just stared at his face for a long moment. Then he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, I thought you might be a Yiga or something. I wasn't expecting you. Wait, so you figured out how to teleport?!" Link's eyes lit up. "See, I told you that you could do it!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm here to cheer you up or something since you're sick." Vaati paused, taking a moment to really look at his friend.

Link's hair was loose from its usual ponytail, falling to his shoulders and sticking up in awkward tufts in the back. Despite the wide grin on his face and the excitement in his eyes, the dark shadows under his eyes and his pale complexion made even Vaati concerned. "You should be in bed," he snapped. "Seriously, if you're sick you need to tell someone about it!"

Link pouted. "I'm tired of laying in bed. And I told _you_ I'm sick..."

"Tell someone who can actually help you. I don't know anything about taking care of sick people so you're just going to have to put up with whatever I say. And if you get worse, it's your own fault." Vaati grabbed Link's shoulders and pushed him back towards the messy bed.

The blonde flopped face down on the sheets, moaning. "I think I'm actually dying," he whined, voice muffled.

"I doubt it." Vaati looked around the room, then walked over to the chair next to the bed, sitting down. "Have you eaten at all?"

"No," the blonde moaned.

So, Link was completely helpless when he was sick. Vaati sighed. There was probably some sort of room service where they could get food delivered. He grabbed the hotel booklet from the bedside table and flipped through it. "I'm ordering pizza," he stated, grabbing the phone and dialing the number.

"Pizza'sgood," Link mumbled in reply.

He turned his head to look at Vaati as he made the order. The look in his eyes made the Mage uncomfortable, and he shifted in his chair, turning away. "Hey, Vaati," Link murmured. "I kinda missed you. It's not as much fun here on my own."

Vaati stuttered in the middle of his sentence. He closed his eyes, growling out the rest of the order before slamming the phone down. Deep breaths. "I don't see how having me around is _fun_ , but whatever."

Link chuckled. "It's a lot of fun. I realized I've gotten used to seeing you every day. It was weird to go all day without seeing or hearing you... Texting isn't quite the same." He sighed. "You probably think I'm just being weird, don't you?"

"...Yeah, you are being weird," Vaati muttered, unable to look at Link directly as he spoke. "Why're you being so negative? That's my m.o. Anyways... I guess I felt off when you weren't around, too."

The smile Link gave him in reply to that made his heart skip. It was full of relief and happiness, enough to banish the weariness in his eyes. Vaati cleared his throat and stood. "Aveil told me you get bored easily when you're stuck inside. What do you want to do?"

Link pushed himself up so he was propped on his elbows. "I really wanna do the waterslides," he sighed.

"Then why haven't you? Seriously, you keep saying you want to."

To that, the blonde sat up, facing Vaati. "I can't. I've got all these scars; it would totally scare everyone. See -" He pulled up the hem of his shirt to reveal his stomach and the thin scar across it.

Vaati's eyes registered the pale, bare skin, how flat and smooth his stomach was except for the scar, and he stared for a moment. Then the moment broke - as did his reserve. "What're you - put your shirt down, I don't need to see!" Vaati shouted, literally stumbling back, heat rushing to his face. He froze, realizing how much he'd overreacted.

Link just sighed, letting his shirt drop back down. "See? It's too scary to show off."

That wasn't at all what Vaati thought, but he refrained from commenting on that. "F-fine, no waterslides. Let's play a board game." He snapped his fingers, and a chess set appeared on the table.

The blonde leaned forward, making a noise of awe. "Ooooh, so you can make this, too? Cool!" He crawled out of the bed and went over to the chess set. "Hey... the white ones look like Sheikah. Wait - is the king me?" He picked up the piece, grinning at the little stone miniature of himself. "Coooooool. And the queen is Impa, the bishops are Aveil, and the knights are Sheik." Link picked up each piece, laughing.

Vaati picked up the black king; it was a miniature of himself. The pawns were keese, the knights Darknuts, and the queen an anonymous shrouded figure. "I'm assuming you know how to play, right?" he asked Link, setting the king back down in its place.

"Uh, yeah!" Link scoffed, pretending to be offended. "You ready for a challenge?" He rolled up his sleeves and sat down, fixing a competitive smirk on Vaati.

"How hard can it be?" Vaati replied. He allowed himself a smile; this was more like the normal Link.

* * *

Seven matches and a pizza later (Link lost by one match), Vaati and Link were sitting on the bed watching TV. Well, Link was watching TV; Vaati was reading a book he'd summoned from the Abbey library. It was fairly quiet aside from the voices coming from the TV and the caramel kettle corn Link was munching on. They'd made a quick trip down to the candy shop that was in the resort; why there was a candy shop in a hotel, Vaati didn't know, but he didn't complain. It was nice to get out of the room for a short while.

Link was looking significantly better. He was watching the show with interest, leaning forward and chuckling every so often. His hair was back in its usual ponytail. The shadows under his eyes hadn't left, but Vaati was sure they would once Link actually got some sleep.

A commercial break came on, and Link turned to Vaati, nudging him and offering him some kettle corn. The Mage absently took it and tossed it into his mouth, before remembering that he didn't like crunchy things. He must have made a strange expression because Link giggled.

"Hey, Vaati," Link said, bumping shoulders with him. "I'm glad you came. Laugh if you want, but... I was kinda lonely."

Vaati lowered his book. "And I ask again, why don't you spend time with Zelda?"

"She's nice, but..." The blonde rolled around a few popcorn kernels in his palm. "I'd rather hang out with you. I can be myself around you, y'know? I can't really tease her or prank her, or spar with her, or..." He sighed. "I've never really felt like I have to pretend when I'm with you. I mean, I lied about my identity, but everything else was real. There's no one else I can be myself around."

Vaati watched his friend as he spoke. Link's former calm happiness was fading to a quiet sadness. The Mage cleared his throat. "What about Impa? Or Sheik? Aveil?"

He shook his head. "Impa is my guardian and mentor. I have to be a professional Sheikah around her. Sheik... I, uh..." Link glanced at Vaati nervously. Then he blurted out, "I kinda had a crush on him once...?"

Something unpleasant stirred in Vaati's chest. Not surprise that Link had been attracted to a guy; more like, a pang at the fact that he liked someone. But, it was in the past tense - Vaati felt a sense of relief, then annoyance. What did it matter to him who Link liked, now or in the past?

"So that kind of makes it hard for me to be completely natural around him..." Link continued, clueless to the mental shock Vaati was going through. "And Aveil is a mentor, too. They're all important to me but in different ways. I can't be as close to any of them like I can with you."

"Well, I guess that's what being best friends is about," Vaati managed to mutter in reply.

Link bumped shoulders with him again, giving a smile. "Yep! It's nice to have someone I can be honest and open with. Actually..." His smile faded. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"We won't ever be enemies, will we?"

Vaati set his book down at that, fixing a frown on the blonde. "Uh, I'm pretty sure you made a million declarations that we wouldn't stop being friends, no matter what."

"I know, I know... sorry. I just end up thinking too much and worrying when I'm stuck in one place too long." Link sighed and set the bag of kettle corn on the bedside table. "I think the Four Sword reacted to me. After we infused it with the Force Gems, I went to pick it up, and it sent this shock through me. The sword's gem changed color, too, for a moment. You know how the Four Sword makes copies of the Hero? I think it was trying to, but it doesn't have enough power yet. And it just got me thinking... if I am the Hero... it means everyone is in danger. There's never a Hero without an evil he has to fight. And I just thought, if I'm the Hero, what if I can't save everyone? What if I defeat the evil, but I lose people along the way? And what about us - can the Hero and the Wind Mage be friends?"

Link sighed and pressed his forehead to his knee. The TV chattered in the background, forgotten now. "Sorry, like I said, I've been stuck in this room too long..."

There was a long moment of quiet. Vaati was more surprised that Link had shared all this with him than the fact that he was struggling with the idea. Anyone would. The legends never talked about how the Hero reacted to being told his fate. It would be crazy to assume they all accepted it with big grins on their faces.

Vaati, too, had struggled with his identity as the Wind Mage. The one who had helped him through it was Link, with his faith in Vaati's desire to be a better person, and his promise to be by his side.

"You know, it's not like Hero has to do everything alone," Vaati said quietly. "Every Hero had helpers along the way, and often a partner with him through the whole journey. No one expected him to do everything on his own." He put a hand on Link's shoulder, waiting until the blonde looked up at him. "Hero or not, you've got me. So stop being all depressed and thinking you have to protect everyone yourself." He lightly pushed Link with a scoff. "Geez, you'd think you forgot that the Wind Mage was your best friend."

When Link finally smiled, Vaati felt a weight lift from his chest. He'd worried he wouldn't be able to help his friend; it bothered him more than he'd like to admit to see the usually cheerful blonde so worried and negative.

"Heh, you're right. Whatever evil's out there has no chance against us!" Link grinned and turned back to watching the TV, the worry fading from his eyes.

* * *

Link's head drooped, leaning on Vaati's shoulder. He only glanced over; he'd expected it at some point. Link had been struggling to stay awake the past ten minutes, and it seems sleep had finally won. Vaati turned the pages in his book carefully, trying not to disturb his friend. For once, Link actually needed the sleep.

After a few minutes, though, Vaati had finished his book. He turned his head slightly, wondering if he could move Link's head off his shoulder without waking him. Probably; the blonde was a seriously heavy sleeper. Slowly, he shifted, using his free arm to gently lift Link's head up. Then he carefully moved him so his head was resting back against the headboard of the bed.

Vaati sighed. Should he move Link so he was actually laying on the bed? Otherwise, he was definitely going to wake up with an ache in his neck. The violet-haired man turned, reaching out to grab Link's shoulders.

The sleeping Hylian gave a soft sigh, causing Vaati to freeze. No, he really didn't want to accidentally wake him and possibly be in an awkward position. He lowered his hands again. It was Link's own fault for falling asleep sitting up, he decided.

For a while, he just sat there, looking at Link. Vaati hadn't really noticed before, but there was a small scar above his left eyebrow, just barely visible under his bangs. The Mage reached out, brushing back the golden strands to look more closely. It was about an inch long, a thin, pale line. He wondered what it was from.

Vaati's fingers traced the scar, then withdrew. Din, what was he doing? And yet he couldn't resist inching forward and taking a closer look at Link's peaceful features. His other hand bumped Link's. He hesitated, then slid his fingers under Link's palm, his thumb rubbing the smooth skin on the back of the blonde's hand. Link's hand was small and slender compared to Vaati's, though the skin on his palm was rougher.

His eyes went back up to his friend's face. He couldn't deny the strange feeling making his heartbeat loud in his ears. This wasn't how a friend looked at another friend. He knew that. Even Vaati knew he shouldn't be holding Link's hand and trailing his fingers over his cheek. Why was it Vaati, and not Link sleeping before him, who felt so vulnerable at that moment?

Heart hammering, Vaati leaned forward, bringing his face close to Link's. When had things changed, and why...? Why his roommate? But maybe it wasn't important to know when or why, only to know that they had changed. Just once - just once he'd admit to himself how important the person in front of him was to him, admit that he would be lost without him, admit he'd do anything to keep a smile on his face, admit that maybe - just maybe - he'd fallen in love. Only this once.

He closed his eyes, the few centimeters between them disappearing, and pressed his lips to Link's.


	30. Chapter 29

A/N: Now you guys see why I had to contain my excitement? (Is it wrong to fangirl over your own story...? Because I very frequently fangirl over my stories XP Then again, if you're not allowed to get excited about your own writing, what's the point?) I'm very glad to see you guys got excited, too! I quite enjoyed your reactions.

So, the last chapter was abnormally long, and then this chapter is unusually short. Oh well.

Welcome to nuckles and Ana707070!

* * *

Chapter 29

 _Friday, 2pm_

 _On the train back to the Eastern Abbey_

Snow, snow, snow. The entire landscape was a blanket of white, buried under a generous foot and a half of snow. Link's eyes glazed over, the white all blending together. She wasn't really paying attention at all to what was outside, but looking out the window was better than staring into space with a dead look in her eyes and probably scaring Zelda and the other passengers.

Zelda had already noticed how quiet the Sheikah agent was. Link excused it away, saying she was feeling a little sick from her adventure in the snow two days before. That was a lie, but she couldn't tell Zelda the real reason.

Just thinking about it made her fidget. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Part of her wondered if it'd just been a particularly vivid dream. She wasn't really sure why she would dream about that, though. Oh, but it didn't make any sense in reality, either!

She let herself go over the events of last night once more...

* * *

 _Link had finally been able to fall asleep. She woke up, though, when Vaati moved her head off of his shoulder. Half-asleep, she let him prop her up against the headboard, sighing happily. Vaati was a good friend, really, even if he wouldn't admit it. He'd come all the way out there to cheer her up, and now he was even trying to not wake her up. Maybe she'd tease him later about that. For now, sleep was pulling her slowly under._

 _Something touched her forehead, brushing her bangs away and tracing the small scar above her eyebrow. Was that... Vaati? Her half-conscious mind focused on the cold tips of his fingers on her skin. Then she felt his hand curl under hers, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. Okay, this was getting weird. Vaati was the only person in the room, but she couldn't imagine why he'd be holding her hand and touching her face so... gently. Link struggled against the desire to open her eyes. That would make things extremely awkward. If she just continued to pretend to be asleep, he'd leave soon enough, and she'd just act like she didn't know anything about it._

 _So Link just kept her breathing steady, even as Vaati's fingers touched her cheek and his hand tightened around hers. Any moment. Any moment, this weird dream - it had to be a dream, right? - would pass. She heard him take a breath, closer than she expected. Oh no, he wasn't... going to...?_

 _And then he kissed her, warm lips pressed against hers very gently. Her heart leaped into her throat. She didn't know how she was able to keep her eyes closed and her breathing natural. Maybe it was the shock, pure shock, that kept her from reacting and blowing her cover._

 _The kiss was brief. Vaati pulled away quickly, his hands also jerking back. "Din..." he breathed. "I'm an idiot. Why did I..."_

 _She felt the bed move, probably Vaati moving away. Then there was a whispering sound, like wind whistling through a gap in a window. It was vaguely familiar; hadn't she heard that sound earlier, when he'd teleported to her room? Link opened her eyes a crack. When it seemed as though the Mage had left, she opened her eyes fully. The room was empty except for her._

 _Had that really just happened...?_

* * *

Link pressed her forehead to the cold glass of the window. It probably hadn't been a dream. It felt too real. She knew what a kiss felt like. Soft yet firm, and warm...

"Are we there yet?" she moaned. Thinking about it made her all sorts of confused, so she'd just try to forget about it and focus on something else.

Zelda checked the time on her phone and nodded. "There are about fifteen minutes left. I'm glad they were able to get the trains running today. I just hope it doesn't snow anymore..." She looked out at the white world passing by.

"Well, at least we got enough gems before the storm hit," Link replied. She and Zelda had discussed it and decided that they could probably finish the restoration of the Four Sword at the Abbey. Their original plan had been to go to one more location just to be sure, but the storm had forced them to change plans. Hopefully, Zelda could draw out enough Force Gems at the Abbey. And then...

Then Link would split into four, wouldn't she? She wondered if that hurt. Maybe it would just be like the shocks from before - forceful, but not painful. Admittedly, she was curious to see copies of herself. And after talking with Vaati, she didn't feel quite so anxious about being the Hero. Whatever Hyrule needed her for, she would be there, with Vaati by her side.

Her thoughts flashed back to Vaati's hand holding hers. How was she supposed to pretend like she knew nothing about it if her mind immediately went back to what had happened every time she thought about him?!

Link took a deep breath. She was a professional Sheikah spy. Just like she'd pretended to be asleep last night, she would continue to pretend to be oblivious. No matter how nervous and confused she might be inwardly, she would act one hundred percent normal around Vaati. Otherwise, things could get really complicated.

She spent the rest of the train ride and the trek from the station to the Abbey mentally composing herself, preparing exactly how she would act when she saw Vaati. The sidewalks were buried in snow, so they had to walk on the roads, which were only slightly plowed. Link carried Zelda's bag for her like the gentleman she was, though it made it difficult to walk with any kind of speed without slipping in the slushy snow. By the time they entered through the main doors, Link was exhausted, and she'd almost forgotten about her plans on how to act around Vaati, so focused on not falling flat on her face as she'd been.

Father Gaepora greeted them at the door. "Welcome back to the Abbey. I am glad to see you both made it safely." He looked at the Four Sword slung over Link's shoulder. "I heard that the sword is near completion?"

"Yep. All the rust is gone, and the handle even looks new. We just need one last batch of Force Gems."

"That is certainly good news," Father Gaepora smiled. He paused, before asking, "Have you sensed anything from the sword?"

She knew what he was getting at - had the sword given any clues as to whether she was the Hero or not? Link straightened, not letting the question bother her. "We'll find out the truth today. Do you know where Impa is? I need to talk to her real quick before we work on the sword."

"Ah, I believe I last saw her speaking with Mr. Enlil in the library."

Link cringed inwardly. Oh well, she'd have to face him sooner or later; it was just sooner this time. She thanked the priest and quickly went to her room to drop off her things, then trotted down to the library. She crept slowly through the rows of shelves. Let's see, if she were being completely normal, she might try to surprise Vaati.

She caught a glimpse of his violet hair through the gaps in the shelves. Perfect - he was facing away from her. Link tiptoed around the corner, trying to keep herself out of Impa's line of sight as well. The Sheikah was speaking quietly, but Link didn't pay attention to what she was saying. Just a few feet...

"And Link strikes again!" she whispered loudly, purposely alerting Vaati. He jerked his head towards her just as she lunged forward, her hand whipping out and her middle finger pressed against his jugular. They both stood frozen for a second, and then Link flicked her hand in a mimicry of slicing his throat. "Dead again, Vaati!"

She saw his eyes dart around like he was trying to look anywhere but her face. Then he muttered, "Can't you greet me in a normal way for once?"

"But that would be boring!" she replied with a grin. Vaati was acting fairly normal, aside from some nervousness. That was good - it made it easier for her to pretend if he acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, too.

She turned to Impa, who had been watching without comment, and bowed her head slightly. "Zelda and I are back. I let Father Gaepora know that the sword is almost finished."

Impa nodded. "Do you have anything to report on your trip?"

"Not much. I saw two Yiga spies but I made sure they didn't see us restoring the sword, so they wouldn't know anything conclusive about what we were doing."

"And the sword? Do you believe the shocks you experienced mean anything?"

Link looked over at Vaati, then smiled. "Oh, I don't know. It might've been telling me not to touch it. Who knows?"

"In other words," Impa stated, "you wish to wait until the sword is complete before you conclude anything. That is a wise choice." She gestured towards the Four Sword hanging from Link's shoulder. "I believe it is time to do just that. I will tell the others; you two, go to the Sanctuary and wait there."

The Sheikah departed, leaving Link and Vaati alone in an awkward silence. The blonde quickly cleared her throat and elbowed her friend. "You heard her! Let's go!"

She led the way down the stairs and through the secret passage to the underground cavern. Vaati was quiet, only replying every so often when Link's chatter called for a reply. She glanced back at him once, only to see him quickly look away, avoiding her gaze. It was probably too much to hope that things would go back to normal that quickly, wasn't it?

Honestly, she wanted to tell him not to worry about it, but that would mean admitting she'd been awake the whole time, and that would only make things worse. It was kind of strange when she really thought about it - she was confused about why he'd kissed her, but it wasn't like she was upset about it. She was more concerned about helping Vaati not feel awkward around her. Link glanced back once more. The Vaati walking behind her now, avoiding her eye - she didn't want to see that.

In the Sanctuary, Link pulled the Four Sword out of its bag and sheath, looking it over. Even in the dim lighting, the gem in its hilt sparkled and the blade gleamed. She rolled it in her hand. It felt perfectly balanced in her grip, capable of quick but powerful strikes. Experimentally, she swung it back and forth. She'd never had a sword feel as though it was custom made for her, but the Four Sword seemed like a natural extension of her arm.

"Stop showing off," Vaati called. Link turned; her roommate was watching her with a serious expression. His eyes were locked on the sword in her left hand.

"Oh, come on! It's like how your magic is for you - it just feels so natural and fulfilling!" Link pouted. She swung the sword up in a wide arc, reaching high as though she wanted to touch the cavern ceiling. "Sometimes using a sword feels more like dancing than practicing with a killing tool." She pivoted and brought her arm down. "I'd much rather be a dancer than a fighter, but I guess it doesn't hurt to know how to do both." Link straightened, letting her arm hang at her side. "What would you rather do with your magic, Vaati?"

The Mage crossed his arms, turning his gaze to the murals behind the pedestal. "Zelda asked me a similar question once," he said quietly. "What was the reason I wanted magic. I think I just wanted to prove everyone wrong - that magic was possible, and that I wasn't evil like the Wind Mage. I was going to find ways to use magic that the whole world would be impressed with. But... I don't think I care about impressing the world anymore." Vaati's gaze wandered to Link's face before glancing away again. "I don't know yet what I want to do. For now, I'm just using it to help you." He added after a moment, stammering slightly, "Y-you as in the Sheikah and everyone, not you specifically."

Link chuckled. "I think helping others is a good reason to use your magic. Zelda's right - you've changed a lot for the better! The old Vaati wouldn't lift a finger to help anyone else. I'm so proud of you!" She received a withering glare, but she could tell he wasn't actually angry.

Voices echoed down from the stairs by the Sanctuary entrance. Link and Vaati turned expectantly. After a moment, Impa, Father Gaepora, Zelda, and Aveil came into sight. Sheik, still in a wheelchair, wasn't able to get down to the Sanctuary. Link felt a slight pang of disappointment that not everyone could be gathered together.

"Already practicing?" Aveil called out, noticing the Four Sword in Link's hand.

She lifted the sword and pointed it at the Gerudo. "Just testing it a little." Then she lowered it and grabbed the sheath, sliding it into the leather holder. "I'm ready when you are."

Zelda walked up to the pedestal, Link a few feet behind her, while everyone else took their place by the cavern wall. The Sheikah agent held her breath as Zelda brought her hands together. This time, she knelt on the ground, head bowed as she mouthed the words of the spell. Long moments passed, and Link began to wonder if there was something wrong. No gems were appearing anywhere.

She was about to speak when Zelda reached out a hand and touched the stone pedestal in front of her. There was a dim glow from the slit where the Four Sword used to rest. Then, one by one, the largest Force Gems Link had seen yet appeared on the ground surrounding the pedestal. Each was the size of her fist, glimmering in blue, purple, green, and red.

Zelda stood and turned to Link. The expression on her face was solemn, though her blue eyes remained soft. "All that remains is you, Link," she said. "Please, return the Four Sword to the pedestal and restore it to its full power."

She wasn't as scared as she'd thought she would be. Link removed the Four Sword from its sheath calmly. She had the feeling that her life was about to change drastically, but it didn't worry her. Taking slow steps, Link approached the pedestal. Maybe the emotion she was feeling was bittersweetness. She raised the blade above the pedestal, both hands gripping the hilt. Her life would change, but the same people would remain by her side. And with those people near her, there was nothing she could not accomplish. Link slid the Four Sword down into the stone pedestal.

The Force Gems on the ground sparkled and glowed brightly, illuminating the Four Sword. Its gem gleamed in response. The cavern, usually shrouded in shadow, was bright. Then, slowly, the Force Gems faded away, and then the Four Sword, too, dimmed to normal. The gem in its hilt continued to sparkle.

Link slowly reached out and let her fingers touch the green gem. There was no shock this time, but the gem reacted, changing to red and then back to green.

"...Is it completed?" Father Gaepora called out in a hushed tone.

"Only one way to find out," Link replied. She grabbed the handle and pulled.

The moment its blade left the pedestal, a shock went through her whole body, threatening to topple her. But she'd been expecting it. Link braced herself against the unknown force, lifting the sword up in front of her. It felt like something was trying to push her from side to side. She focused on the sword in her hands. The gem flashed blue, purple, red, and then finally green. As the gem returned to normal once more, the shock disappeared.

Link took a deep, deep breath, and then looked to her left.

Staring back at her were three copies of herself - except they didn't have blonde hair. The one next to her had blue hair and was wearing an expression of surprise, the middle one had purple hair and was grinning, while the last one had red hair with a rather serious look.

"Well!" said the one with purple hair, grinning even wider. "There's your answer!"


	31. Chapter 30

A/N: Oh my. 30 chapters. I had no clue when I began this how long the story would be. By NaNoWriMo standards, I've written nearly two novels' worth by now (50k words a novel).

...I really should be spending that time on my actual novels XP

A note about the different Links: canonically (in the games), they don't have personalities that are distinct from the original. So I've decided to make them reflect the main parts of this Link's personality. I've never read any fics with the other Links or the manga so I don't know how people usually portray them. Also, I went with different hair colors instead of different clothing colors because, well, Link doesn't wear green all the time. I thought about eye color but her eyes are normally blue so that doesn't work either. I know the different hair colors are more like Tri-Force Heroes than Four Swords, but hey, creative license XP

lordvaatithewindmage: I thought about it at one point, but decided against including Shadow Link in this story, just for the sake of not making things more complicated than they already are.

Thank you to fabioghattas90 for following!

* * *

Chapter 30

Link lowered the Four Sword and turned to face her twins. They were each holding a copy of the Four Sword; the color of the gems matched the color of their hair. Their clothes matched hers exactly. There wasn't the effect of looking in a mirror, though, not with their varied expressions and strange hair colors.

"Just what we need - three more Link's," Vaati muttered, just loud enough to hear.

All four turned. He flinched a bit, probably startled at having all of them staring at him.

"Aw, you overwhelmed by four copies of this beautiful face?" purple-haired Link teased, stroking her cheek flirtatiously.

"Hey, look, he's blushing!" the blue one laughed.

Meanwhile, the red one put a hand on her hip. "We're supposed to be for fighting evil, not tormenting Vaati."

Link looked over at Vaati. His eyes were wide and he kept looking at each Link as they spoke. He was indeed blushing lightly, stammering out a retort, "You should listen to the red one!"

The original Link burst out giggling at Vaati's plight. He looked so at a loss as to what to do or how to respond in this situation. Her laughter only made him more flustered. "S-sorry," she got out between chuckles. "It's just - you reacted just how I thought you would!"

Impa cleared her throat loudly. "This is not the time for jokes, Link," she reprimanded.

"It's better than being depressed about being the Hero," blue-haired Link replied with a smile. Link decided to just call them by their colors. Blue sheathed her sword and bowed to those gathered. "As Purple said so well, we have our answer: Link is indeed the Hero!"

"Not 'Purple'; call me Vio. You know. For Violet." She pointed to her hair.

Red crossed her arms. "Impa is right, you two. This is kind of important, so calm down and pay attention."

The four turned their attention to their guardian and mentor. She looked at each of them in turn before resting her gaze on Link. "What will you do now, Link?"

She blinked, frowning. "Er, what do you mean...?"

"Do you accept your role as the Hero? Or do you wish to return the sword and go back to normal?" When Link only looked at her twins thoughtfully, Impa continued, "I only required you to restore the Four Sword so we would have it in case of an emergency. You do not need to carry the sword with you if you do not wish to."

Ah, she hadn't considered that. Even if she was the Hero, Link could simply put the sword back in its place. She didn't have to accept this role. Her eyes met Vaati's. He wasn't avoiding her gaze this time; he was patiently waiting for her answer, simply meeting her gaze as a way to let her know he'd be by her side either way.

Link looked back at Impa with a confident smile. "I accept my role as the Hero. But I also have a request to make to all of you: when there is something I can't do, or when I am worn out, or whenever I have a weakness, please be by my side to help me through it."

Her mentor actually smiled. "Of course, Link," Impa replied, bowing her head. "I am always on your side, and I am proud of the person you have become. I pledge my support to you." She looked towards the stairs. "Sheik is not here, but I am certain he would say the same."

Aveil pressed a fist to her heart, bowing her head as well. "You have my support as well! You'll make a worthy Hero. Break the mold and fight well."

Link nodded happily. It was comforting to have the support of both of her mentors. They were strong and wise, the kind of women she aspired to become. And even though Sheik was absent, she felt sure that she had finally reached an equal level with him.

"Should you ever need knowledge or wisdom, I will be here to help you," Father Gaepora said. He bowed his head respectfully.

"Thank you," the blonde said. Then she turned her gaze to Vaati, who had not spoken. "You've already told me you'll be on my side, so you don't have to say anything."

To her surprise, he shook his head. "No. I'll say it here as well." Vaati locked his red eyes with hers. "Link, I may be the Wind Mage, and you may be the Hero, and most would assume that makes us enemies, but ultimately we decide what our titles mean. My decision is to be your closest ally. Whatever you need my help for, I'll do it. As you fight to protect Hyrule, I'll fight to protect you. That is my repayment for my past life, and my desire as your best friend." Vaati bowed, his intense gaze finally breaking away.

She glanced over at her twins and saw her same feelings reflected in their eyes: a mix of happiness and discomfort. She couldn't help but feel that Vaati was somewhat sad when he'd spoke. Especially when he'd ended with, 'my desire as your best friend' - he'd quietly sighed. She wondered why such a declaration could make him unhappy.

But she shook the feeling off. "Thank you, Vaati," Link smiled softly. "I kind of feel invincible after you said that!"

She turned to her twins. "So, uh, where are we gonna keep all these?"

"Hey, don't refer to us like pets or things!" Blue pouted.

Vio laughed and elbowed her blue twin. "He's just teasing you! You should know that!"

"Well, yeah, but... Well, even so, I'm easy to tease sometimes! He shouldn't do it to himself."

"But you're not him - you're a copy of a part of him!"

"I'm leaving before I get a headache," Vaati groaned. He waved in the Links' general direction. "Go sort yourself out somewhere else."

Impa watched him go, then turned to Link. "He is right. I believe you should take some time to get familiar with these copies of yourself. Father Gaepora, is there a larger guest room Link and her copies could use?"

"Unfortunately, all our guest rooms are rather small," Father Gaepora explained apologetically. "However, I believe there is a monks' room he could use. There are four beds, so it would work well."

"Sounds good to us!" called Blue. She grabbed Link and Vio by the arms. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys!"

"We're the same person, Blue," Red raised an eyebrow. "He already knows us."

Blue waggled a finger at her red-headed twin. "It's always good to know yourself better! Father Gaepora, lead the way!"

* * *

"Alright. So you're each a different part of my personality?"

Link, Blue, Vio, and Red were sitting in a circle on the floor in their new room. Despite being her copies, they all sat differently. Blue was the most like her, with her legs partly crisscross. Vio had one leg up, her arm resting on her knee, with the other leg tucked under her. Red's arms were crossed and her legs crisscross properly.

"Yep!" said Blue. She was pretty much always smiling. "I am your easygoing, happy, positive part! And I'm your dominant trait."

Link nodded, then turned her gaze to Vio. "I think I know what you are."

Vio grinned mischievously. "Well, you know yourself best! I'm your mischievous and flirtatious side. Lately, I've gotten a lot of action with Vaati around - it's great! Wonder if it's a coincidence that we both have purple hair?" Her eyes widened and she leaned forward. "Maybe we're destined to-"

She was cut off by Red's hand covering her mouth. "I am your fierce, serious side," the redhead stated, ignoring Vio's muffled protests. "When you fight, I am the strength you draw from."

"Do you mean, only Red is good for fighting?"

Vio finally freed herself from Red's hand. She pressed a hand to her heart as though pained. "You wound us! She may be more fierce, but we all have the same exact skills and abilities that you have. We even have the same thought processes, so fighting as a team should be a breeze! Whatever you would do in any situation, that's what we'll do."

Link tilted her head. "Really? Let's test it!" At that, Vio leaped to her feet, drawing her sword. "No, I meant with rock-paper-scissors," Link added quickly.

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense." Vio put the sword away and dropped back down while Blue giggled and Red looked unimpressed.

"So, all of us go at once," Link said, holding out her fist. The other three did the same. "Rock, paper, scissors -!" she said, her fist moving down on each word. On 'scissors', they all opened their hands out flat.

"Huh, it worked. Let's do it again!" Link counted down again, and they all threw scissors this time. "Again!" All paper. "Okay, just once more..." All rock.

Vio lifted her fist in the air triumphantly. "Told ya! Great minds think alike! Or rather, in this case, same great minds think alike." She chuckled at her own joke.

Ignoring her twin's childish behavior, Red addressed Link, "You can count on us completely in battle. Ultimately, our wills are connected to yours, as the original, so just trust us to do exactly what you need us to do."

"Hey, nevermind fighting right now," Vio cut in. She leaned forward, hands on her knees, staring at Link intently. "There's something else I wanna discuss!"

Blue also leaned forward with excitement in her eyes. "Ooooh, yeah, me too!"

Link glanced back and forth between them, then looked at Red. She was also staring at Link. "Uh, okay? What is it?" Link said slowly.

"Oh, you know what it is..." Vio replied in a honeyed tone. She reached out and tilted Link's chin up with one finger, leaning closer. "A certain somebody and what that certain somebody did while you were sleeping..."

"W-why do you wanna talk about that?" Link stammered. Vio must've really picked up on all of Aveil's flirting lessons. She was just a little too close, her voice making Link squirm. "I'm just going to pretend like it didn't happen... I don't want things to be awkward."

Vio flicked her finger away, leaning back. "But it did happen! You can't ignore something like that! I mean, it's not like it was your first kiss or anything, but still - getting kissed by a guy who thinks you're a guy is kinda crazy. Especially since Vaati was super clear about not being gay."

"Yeah..." Link murmured. "It probably didn't mean anything, then, you know? Maybe it was an accident."

"Oh, come on! What _else_ could it mean?!" Vio exclaimed, flinging her arms out in exasperation. Blue nodded in agreement. "Vaati _accidentally_ held your hand and then _accidentally_ kissed you? He's not the type who would kiss someone just to see what it's like, either, or as some sort of revenge. You were asleep anyways, so it couldn't be revenge. So..." Vio widened her eyes and stared at Link. "It obviously means he has feelings for you!"

Blue squealed shyly at Vio's declaration, while Red just watched Link quietly. She opened her mouth to protest, then hesitated. Vaati didn't feel that way about her... they were just friends. She was a guy in his eyes; she could barely imagine Vaati falling in love with a girl, let alone a guy - that didn't even seem like an option. And yet, he _had_ kissed her. Link couldn't pretend it meant nothing. But she also couldn't confirm anything, not without asking Vaati himself.

"Obvious or not," she sighed, "I shouldn't ask him about it. If he wanted me to know, he wouldn't be hiding it."

Vio and Blue pouted, but Red placed a hand on her shoulder, nodding in agreement. "I think that's the right choice. He is probably trying to preserve your friendship. If he knew you knew about the kiss, your relationship could fall apart."

"Alright, fiiiine," Vio huffed, rolling her head back as she sighed. Then she popped it back up, excited once more. "Then we'll just figure out how you feel about Vaati!"

Link pointed to herself, and Vio nodded. "Well? What'd you think of the kiss?" the mischievous twin pressed.

"I-it - that's -" the blonde stammered. She could feel her face growing warm. "Don't you guys already know what I think? Why are you asking things like that?"

"Because sometimes you have to talk it out before you can truly understand yourself," Blue replied with a smile.

"So? So?" pressed Vio.

She looked to Red, hoping for some kind of support, but her twin was also waiting with some expectancy. Did she really have to talk about it...? Honestly, she'd been pushing it out of her mind since the moment it happened; it was just embarrassing to think about.

Probably sensing her great reluctance, Vio prompted, "Well, for starters, you weren't upset about it, right?"

Link shook her head, frowning slightly. "No, of course I wasn't upset."

"Of couuuuurse you weren't," her purple-haired twin smirked. "Wouldn't you normally be upset if someone took advantage of you and kissed you while you were sleeping?"

"Well... yeah. But it was Vaati."

"So it's okay if Vaati kisses you? You wouldn't be upset if he kissed you again?"

"Th-that's not what I meant!" Link's face was uncomfortably warm. She felt like every answer she gave was wrong somehow. "It's just... I can't get angry at him for something like that. If he really does... feel that way towards me, who knows how long he's been hiding it? Feelings like that are really hard to push down... He sounded like he regretted it afterwards. I guess I feel more sad that he's been struggling with this alone."

Vio was about to speak, probably to shoot more questions, but Red raised her arm, shaking her head. "That's enough for now. Those are her feelings at this moment. Don't confuse her." She rose to her feet. "It's close to dinner time. I think we should go make sure they made enough for three more people."

"You guys eat, too?" Link queried.

"Of course we eat!" Blue exclaimed, poking the flesh of her upper arm. "We're flesh and blood just like you. And we eat just as much!"

"Oh, we definitely need to make sure they made extra, then!" Link chuckled. She stood, as did Blue and Vio. "Alright, let's go!"

* * *

She almost immediately regretted bringing her twins to dinner. Upon spotting Vaati at the table, Blue and Vio ran over, claiming the seats on either side of him. Oh, no - she definitely could not trust them to act normal around him, especially Vio. She grabbed the chair at the same time her purple-haired twin did.

"I always sit next to Vaati," she tried to explain in as normal a tone as possible while giving Vio very pointed looks saying 'you can't sit next to him!'

Vio just grinned, trying to pull the chair out of Link's grip. "Well, I'm you, so I don't see what the problem is!" She nudged Vaati. "There's no problem, right?"

"Maybe I don't want to sit next to either of you," he replied dryly.

"But we're your best friend!" Vio gasped.

Vaati only retorted, "So? That doesn't mean we always have to sit together."

"You could sit next to me, handsome!" Aveil called out from her seat near Impa. When the three looked over, she winked and patted the seat by her.

Link and Vio exchanged a look, then turned their eyes to Vaati. He was scowling at the Gerudo. In unison, the twins shook their heads and each grabbed one of their friend's arms. Some instinct told them that Aveil would do a lot more damage than they could.

"Blue, you sit by Red," Vio shooed her twin away. "Link and I are gonna share Vaati." She forcefully tugged Vaati to his seat and pushed him down into it.

The Mage sighed from the depths of his soul and lowered his head. "I think I've lost my appetite. Can I leave?" he asked Impa, looking over at the Sheikah.

Before Impa could get a syllable out in reply, Vio grabbed Vaati's face, turning it up so she could inspect it carefully. "Oh no, you didn't catch whatever Link had, did you?! Don't worry! We'll take care of you, like you did for Link!" She started leaning forward.

Link, sensing incoming disaster, leaped forward, slinging her arm around Vio's shoulders and jerking her back. Laughing lightly, she waved a hand. "I'm sure he's fine! He never eats much, anyways."

"The food will be here soon," Red said calmly. "Can you two please sit down so we can eat?"

And so poor Vaati was sandwiched between Link and Vio the duration of dinner. Link had to keep Vio in check almost the entire time; the purple-haired girl had almost no sense of restraint. She knew it was her own personality trait and all, but it was really dangerous left all on its own, unchecked by the sensibility Red embodied. Vaati basically seemed to do his best to ignore the both of them. By the end of dinner, Mage and Hero both were exhausted.

Link sent her twins off to their room without her. Vio complained loudly, but thankfully Red was willing to half-drag the mischievous girl away for her. Tired, Link slowly made her way up to Vaati's room. Some sort of apology was in order, right?

The Vaati that opened the door made her heart cringe. He saw her and immediately sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes before looking at her again and asking, "What's up?"

"Uh, well, you know..." Link mumbled, her careful apology scrambled. He'd never seemed so completely reluctant to see her. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. She laughed - always an easy way to cover up her feelings. "I'm pretty annoying, huh? I mean, my copies tonight were kinda crazy. Especially Vio. Um... so... yeah, sorry for the craziness! That's all!" She waved and turned, walking back off down the hall.

"Hey," Vaati called. Link halted, glancing back. He cleared his throat and looked away. "You weren't the annoying one. I just... don't know how to deal with four of you."

Link turned around. "But they're me. If they were annoying, that means I'm annoying. Actually, even I got a little annoyed. Weird, huh?"

"They aren't you; they're parts of you." Her roommate met her eye. "If you were only Vio, I'd probably have had a flock of keese carry you to a bridge and drop you off of it a long time ago. But you're Vio, and Blue, and Red, all together. The combination is a lot better." Vaati sighed. "Don't worry about it. I got used to you; I'll get used to them, too."

She wished she had better instincts when it came to the feelings of others. What was Vaati thinking as he talked with her? Why did he keep sighing? Did he really not find her annoying? Seeing her own personality traits from an outside perspective had made her realize flaws she'd never noticed before; her flirtatiousness put Vaati in an awkward position, her chipper self didn't notice his discomfort, her serious side only surfaced in the most necessary of situations.

What... were his true feelings, hidden under his defensive needles, concealed behind the red eyes looking back at her tiredly? He'd kissed her, but now it seemed like she was the last person he wanted to see. Friends? More than that?

A part of her knew it would never work out if his feelings were more. Her heart twisted at the same time.

She must have been staring at him for quite a while, because Vaati frowned at her. "Earth to Link?" he said.

"Oh! Uh, I should go back and make sure they aren't causing mass destruction," she jerked a thumb over her shoulder, grinning casually. "See ya later!"

This time she ran down the hall, not letting anything stop her. Link ran all the way back to her room, skipping steps on the stairs and nearly hitting the walls as she turned corners. She stumbled to a stop in front of her door, panting. The pounding of her heartbeat in her ears was a welcome distraction from the thoughts trying to gain her attention.

They were uncharacteristicly negative thoughts. She and Vaati were best friends; flaws and all, they accepted each other - she should already know this fact. He was struggling with feelings she shouldn't know about, but that didn't change the fact that they were friends. As long as she pretended that she had no clue...

And yet, she couldn't deny that she wanted to know for sure exactly what his feelings were. Link knew it could change their relationship, potentially break it apart. Her desire - one of few things she was completely certain of - was to be side-by-side with Vaati. Was it friendship that would keep them together, or love? Or would love tear them apart?

Link laughed, straightening and shaking her head. "I'm kinda jumping to conclusions! Who said love was a part of any of this?" she asked the empty hall. "Vaati'd have to be crazy to fall in love with me."

"But you wouldn't be crazy to fall for him," crooned a voice from the door.

Link startled; Vio was peeking out through the barely open door, grinning wickedly. "No one's falling for anyone!" Link shouted, pushing the door open and knocking Vio to the ground.

"If you say sooooo!" her twin just snickered in reply.


	32. Chapter 31

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! Let's plunge back into the plot, ladies and gentlemen!

* * *

Chapter 31

New Year's Eve, 11:25pm

Location: Hyrule Castle

The gentle notes of violins floated through the ballroom, accompanied by the playful whistles of flutes and mellow tremors of the double-bass. The chattering of the crowd milling about blended into the music. In the huge, marble room, every sound carried clearly., a lively cacophony of voices and music. Vaati thought it was all entirely too noisy.

The violet-haired Mage was standing on the outskirts of the crowd, wondering for the hundredth time why he was at the New Year's Ball, dressed in a tuxedo with his hair done back in a respectable braid, Red next to him in a tux and wig, and Aveil on his other side in a rather revealing Gerudo-style gown. The other Links were milling around in the crowd, and Impa was... somewhere. Vaati had quickly lost track of where the Sheikah was.

"You'll scare everyone off with that scowl of yours," Aveil tapped Vaati's shoulder. She smirked when he just scowled at her more deeply. "I'm sure there's more than one girl here who would think you're handsome and want to dance with you."

"I'm not here to dance," he replied flatly.

"Actually, handsome, you are."

Red spoke before Vaati could snap a retort. "Aveil is right. We're undercover right now. In order to look natural, we'll need to join in, or we'll be too suspicious."

"If you really wanted to avoid being suspicious, you should have done something about my appearance. The Yiga are targeting me, remember?" Vaati crossed his arms and glared out at the crowd. "Unless you _want_ them to attack me."

Red shook his head. "They're here for something else. Seeing you here might cause them to slip up, if they think you're on the Sheikah's side and going to try to stop them."

Vaati followed the people that passed in front of him with his eyes, wondering if any of them were actually undercover Yiga agents. That was the true reason for attending the New Year's Ball: to find out what the Yiga were planning. Apparently, earlier that week Impa had received information from some Sheikah agents saying that the Yiga were going to be present at the ball. With most of the country's government attending the ball, it seemed that an attack of some sort was likely.

Still, Vaati didn't understand why he had been forced to come along, too.

"You won't be the only one making them nervous," Aveil commented. She was looking out over the heads of the people in front of them, smiling confidently. "We brought in their least-favorite Sheikah agent as well."

Vaati tried to see who she was talking about, but she had the height advantage (as well as several-inch heels), and he couldn't see anyone that stood out. He gave up, glancing at the Gerudo. "Is it someone I know?"

The smile she gave him was knowing and mischievous. "Oh, I highly doubt you'll recognize _her_ at first. Or should I say 'him'? Pronouns are a little tricky with that agent lately."

"Aveil," Red said sternly, "please try not to compromise anyone."

"Of course, don't worry; just having a bit of fun." She waved a hand dismissively. "Why don't we go mingle now and find some potential dance partners?" Aveil put her arm around Vaati's shoulder, dragging him with her into the crowd. She completely ignored everyone, though, threading her way through the mass as though she was heading directly towards the other side of the ballroom. Vaati stumbled alongside her, unable to get free of the Gerudo's grip on his shoulder.

Suddenly, she stopped. "There you are!" Aveil exclaimed, tapping the shoulder of a girl with red hair wearing a cream-colored gown.

When the girl turned, both she and Vaati did double takes. "...Marin?" he asked incredulously. It was indeed Marin, though without glasses, and her hair done up in an elegant bun. Her gown showed off her shoulders and hugged her body, flaring out just above the knees, a bit more revealing than he would have expected her to wear. "What are you doing here?"

Marin stammered back, "I-I could ask you the same!" Her eyes flickered between him and Aveil, her cheeks flushing. "You two, um, know each other?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Vaati affirmed. "But how do you..." Then the realization dawned on him, and he turned to Aveil. "Wait, is this the agent you were talking about?"

"Correct! This girl has taken down a record number of Yiga agents for her age," Aveil explained. "She's a master of disguises, but some of her undercover identities are more well known than others. This 'Marin' is one of them."

"Wait, so, you're not actually..." Vaati stared at the girl in front of him. She wore light makeup that accented her blue eyes, and without her glasses, they were even more noticeable - bright and clear. He unconsciously took a step forward, peering more closely at her face. He was aware of her turning slightly away uncomfortably, but something had caught his attention, and he ignored her discomfort. It was difficult to see clearly under the layer of makeup she wore, but above her left eyebrow...

"You've got to be kidding me."

Aveil cleared her throat, taking a step back and raising a hand. "I think I shall go find myself a dancing partner. Stay out of trouble, you two!" With that, she slipped away into the crowd, leaving the two undercover youths standing in awkward silence.

Vaati was the first to break the silence. He sighed and shook his head. "So, Marin was actually you this whole time?"

"...Yeah," Link replied. He was picking at the skirt of his dress, staring at it instead of Vaati. The tips of his ears were burning bright red. "It was for extra surveillance and stuff..."

Vaati found he had a hard time looking at his roommate as well. "And this is a disguise you use a lot."

"N-not exactly. I used it on a few missions..."

He forced himself to give Link another quick look over. How had he not realized it before? Well, probably because he'd never expected Link to go undercover as a girl. But when he really looked, Vaati could clearly see that it was Link. Just wearing makeup. And a dress. Both of which strangely suited him.

Vaati dismissed that last thought, shaking his head. "Well, it works well, I guess."

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Vaati and Link turned to see Vio pushing his way towards them. He elbowed Vaati once he made it, gesturing towards Link. "It's not, ' _it works well, I guess_.' You have to say something like ' _you look surprisingly good as a girl_ ' or ' _that dress is totally hot on you_ '! C'mon, I know you thought it!"

He would die before admitting anything like that, and the seething glare he gave Vio communicated as much. "Unless you're here to tell me something important about the mission, go back to wherever you were."

"But I was really bored where I was..." Vio pouted. He brightened the next moment, however, adding, "I heard it's almost time for the ball dances to begin! I came here to ask Link to be my partner, but looks like he's already taken! Oh well. I'm sure you guys'll have more fun." He winked, and was almost instantly gone, slipping back into the crowd.

"He's not my..." Vaati protested weakly, but Vio was already long gone. He turned uneasily back to Link. "Are Aveil and Vio working together against me or something?"

Link laughed in response to that. "That's a good question!" He smiled slightly, extending a hand. "Let's be dance partners! It'll be fun!"

"No thanks," Vaati replied quickly. No, he really didn't trust himself to act normal dancing with Link. Having to hold hands, one hand on Link's waist, his face in front of him the whole time... Nope. He gave an excuse, "I don't know how to dance, anyways."

"I could show you the basics! It's actually not that hard. Here -" Link reached out and grabbed Vaati's hand.

He jerked his hand away, immediately regretting it when he saw Link's smile falter. The Sheikah agent laughed lightly. "Okay, okay! Too weird, right? Dancing with a guy dressed up as a girl. Or dancing with a guy in general."

Vaati wanted to smack himself. This tone of Link's - he'd been hearing it a lot lately, ever since Link split in four. It was like he was apologetic for everything - for Vio being annoying, for asking for a (not-)date every week, for wanting to dance together... Vaati had greeted everything with reluctance, but he was beginning to realize that even Link had feelings that could be hurt sometimes. So much for his noble intentions of keeping a smile on his friend's face.

Vaati sighed and offered his hand to Link, not meeting his eyes. "It'll probably look odd if we don't dance," he relented.

The redhead hesitated. "You sure you don't mind...?"

"I'm not saying it twice." Vaati grabbed his friend's hands, placing one on his shoulder, and holding the other one out to the side. Trying his best to act like it didn't bother him at all, he gently rested his left hand against Link's waist. They just stood there for a long moment, staring at each other.

The music changed its tune, and a woman's voice came on over the speakers, startling both of them. The crowd quieted. "We hope you have been enjoying yourselves! It is that time of the evening, ladies and gentlemen. The final half hour before the New Year! Please, look to your left, look to your right - greet the person beside you. And, perhaps, ask them for this last dance of the year." As her voice faded, the orchestra paused, then began playing a waltz.

All around them, people began pairing up and swaying along to the music. Vaati cleared his throat, making Link look up at him. "I'll lead," he said simply.

Link stammered out some sort of protest, but Vaati was already moving, stepping back in time to the music, pulling Link slightly. His friend soon started following along, and they kept rhythm together, moving through the steps of a simple waltz. Link's expression relaxed into a smile. "I thought you said you couldn't dance!"

"Did I?" Vaati replied with a smirk. He remembered how Link had once said he liked to dance, and it was clear from the bright gleam in his eyes that he was enjoying himself. It melted away some of the nervousness in his chest to see his friend smiling again.

"You know," he told Link as he spun his partner around, "you can't tease me anymore about looking like a girl."

"Darn," Link laughed. He closed his eyes as he spun, the skirt of his dress flaring elegantly. Vaati smoothly pulled him back. The Sheikah agent opened his eyes, smiling up at him. "Nah, I never actually thought you looked like a girl. Beautiful, maybe, but still definitely a guy!"

Vaati's face grew warm. "Not sure I can say the same for you," he muttered.

"You can't say I'm beautiful? Oh, I'm hurt! I worked hard on this makeup and hairdo, you know! You insult my professional skills."

"Not what I meant." Vaati sighed, glancing away as he spoke. "You look like a girl. Your 'professional skills' are just fine. If you were going for an attractive young lady, good job, you did it. What I meant was I wouldn't guess you were actually a guy."

When Link didn't reply for a long time, he looked back at his partner. He was staring down at their feet, his expression hard to see. Vaati tilted his head to see him better, but Link kept looking away. They slowly came to a halt, standing still in the midst of the dancing crowd, their hands falling away from each other.

Finally, Link lifted his head, his blue eyes troubled. "Vaati... how do you see me?"

The Mage took a moment to try to interpret that question. As a friend? As a man? Was he worried that Vaati thought less of him for dressing as a girl? He wouldn't admit it, but he found the Link in front of him very pretty. Was it some sort of trick question? Vaati frowned. "What do you mean?"

"As a person. Who am I... to you?"

"My best friend," he answered slowly, carefully. Not a lie, but not the full truth.

"Okay. I was just wondering. Because lately, it seems like you'd rather not be around me." Link smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm so negative recently; I just don't know what's going on inside your head. Not unless you tell me." He tilted his head. "But I understand if it's something that's hard to say. If you do ever want to tell me, though, I'll be happy to listen. That's what friends are for."

If only he knew what he was asking. Never mind what Vaati thought of Link cross dressing - what would Link think if his roommate admitted he was in love with him? That he'd kissed him in his sleep? That right now, his bare shoulders and the mascara around his eyes were driving the Mage slightly crazy? Even Link had to have a limit to what he would accept. And Vaati just couldn't take that risk.

"I don't hate you or anything," he explained, hoping he could say the right words. "I'm just... trying to figure something out. Sorry."

"Alright." Link gave him a large smile. "Just thought I'd ask!" He took a step back, curtsying gracefully. "This has been a most wonderful dance, Sir Vaati. But I'm afraid midnight hearkens, and I, like Cinderella, must return to my normal, less attractive self. Let's dance again another time!" With a wink, Link turned and walked into the crowd, quickly disappearing, leaving Vaati standing alone in the middle of the ballroom floor.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please gather in the courtyard to see the fireworks, which will be set off exactly at midnight - that's in five minutes! Let's greet the New Year with cheer. Minister Nohansen will give a speech after the fireworks, so please stay after they have finished. Again, please gather in the courtyard to see the fireworks!"

Vaati followed the crowd of tuxedoed men and gowned ladies, all streaming out into the castle courtyard. The grand fountain in the center was lit up with blue, purple, and red lights, creating patterns in the dancing streams of water. He kept searching for Link, or Aveil, or anyone he knew, but it was impossible to find anyone once he was out in the dimly-lit courtyard. Looked like he'd be greeting the new year alone again.

"Only two minutes until midnight!" the announcer's cheerful voice carried over the speakers in the courtyard. The lights on the fountain changed, focusing on the main flow of water from the top. It was slightly hard to see, but the numbers '1:56' could be seen, counting down with every second.

Vaati searched for a bench, but every one he came across was already taken. Frustrated, he was forced to stand as the timer ticked away towards one minute. As he watched, he wondered - would the Yiga strike at midnight? It would be the perfect time. That is, if he were an evil agent, he'd pick that time. The noise of the fireworks would provide good noise cover, as well as directing everyone's attention away. Still, he didn't know enough about exactly what the Yiga wanted; they might not even show their faces.

 _0:42_

"Vaati!" Above the general murmur of the crowd, Vaati heard his name shouted. He turned his head, searching for the source. "Vaati!" From his right? They sounded panicked. He started working his way through the throng. Was that Link's voice?

They almost crashed into each other. It was Vio, panting, eyes wide. None of his usual lightheartedness could be seen in his face. "Vaati," he gasped, "be ready. The Yiga... they already struck."

"What? What happened?!"

 _0:19_

"The vault where the Master Sword was stored - they killed the guards and broke into the vault. Link went to check, and found the guards. The Master Sword - we don't know where it is." Vio pulled at the knot of his tie, loosening it. "And we don't know if the Yiga have anything else planned."

"But that's -"

Vaati was interrupted by the crowd all crying out at once, "Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! ..." He shook his head. The Master Sword couldn't just _vanish_. Something wasn't right. "...Four! Three! Two! One -!"

" _HAPPY NEW YEAR!_ "

There was a whistling scream, and then a bright flash of light above their heads, booming and crackling in showers of blue sparks. The throng cheered for the fireworks. Vaati shouted at Vio, "Where is Link now?"

"I'm not sure!" the twin shouted back. "Probably looking for Impa!"

"What should I -"

The thunder of a particularly loud firework drowned out his voice. Vaati looked up. Gold, white, and red sparks erupted in a strangely geometrical pattern of diamonds. His heart dropped to his stomach.

Vio must have recognized it, too, because he swore violently. "Just what we needed! Sweet Hylia, we're going to skewer that creep. Stay here; I'm going to find my twins!" Vio took off as more diamond-patterned fireworks erupted in the night sky.

The Mage balled his hands into fists, narrowing his eyes at the suspect fireworks. Only a select few people would know the meaning behind their color and design. Ghirahim wanted them to know he was here. Was it a distraction? Or the main event? Vaati turned his gaze towards the platform where Minister Nohansen would be giving his speech. Easily visible to all, and connected to the speaker system, it was the perfect setup for getting everyone's attention.

The fireworks faded, leaving the courtyard in darkness once more. Lights soon burst to life, however, illuminating the stage. Vaati heard some of the people near him murmuring about the seemingly short fireworks show. For a long while, the stage remained empty, eliciting further murmurs. Something was off, and the crowd could sense it.

There was a metallic _shing_ , and suddenly Ghirahim was standing there on the stage, smirking out at his audience with his dark eyes. He tapped on the podium mic. "Such a lovely ball tonight. But I must say I prefer dancing with a blade in my hand."

The audience chattered, wondering who this strange man was. Vaati marched forward, keeping his eyes fixed on the pale man.

"Ah, yes, yes, you are all waiting for an introduction," Ghirahim said smoothly. He raised his arms in a flourish. "I am the demon known as Lord Ghirahim. I am here to take you all as my prisoners."

A demon? So that's what he was. Vaati quickened his pace, shoving people aside.

There was an eruption of confused exclamations in response to this declaration, to which Ghirahim calmly replied, "You'll find that my servants have already blocked every exit from Hyrule Castle. If any of you should attempt to escape, they shall swiftly eviscerate you." This only elicited further shocked cries. The demon lord held up a hand. "Do not worry, my darlings. If I am granted the three things that I desire, all of you shall be let free. And those three things are..."

He leaned forward, whispering into the microphone, "The Princess, the Hero, and the Wind Mage."

"Like hell you're getting any of those," Vaati growled under his breath. He was nearly to the stage.

"Ah," Ghirahim straightened, "but I have already gone and retrieved one myself. May I present to you, Her Royal Highness, descendant of the Goddess Hylia, Princess Zelda Nohansen." He snapped his fingers.

There was a bright flash of diamonds beside him, quickly fading away. Standing there, her hands tied behind her back, eyes wide and frightened, was Zelda.

Vaati froze. When...?! He gritted his teeth. The demon lord may have fancy teleportation skills, but he wasn't the only one. Vaati wracked his brain; where could he send Zelda that she would be safe? And the other guests of the party - he could teleport them out of the castle as well.

"I only ask for a nice little chat with the three of them," Ghirahim continued. He stroked the top of Zelda's head. "So, Vaati, Link. Won't you join your dear Zelda and me?"

"A nice chat, huh?" a new voice rang out from the side of the stage. Ghirahim turned. Walking up onto the stage was Link, blonde hair back in a ponytail, dressed in a tuxedo sans jacket. Strapped to his hip was the Four Sword. He came to a stop ten feet from Ghirahim. "I'd rather dance. What do you say?"

"A wonderful proposition. I would be a fool to say no." Ghirahim raised his hand, a long black sword appearing in his hand. "You simply do not learn your lesson, do you?"

Link drew his sword, eyes narrowed. "I've gained some new tricks. I hope you don't mind a few extra dancers."

From the other side of the stage, three more figures marched up. Red, Vio, and Blue, swords already drawn, quickly approached Ghirahim. Blue went to Zelda, untying her hands. Red pointed his sword at the demon. "The Hero is present, just as you requested."

Zelda hurried off the stage while the Four Links formed a circle around Ghirahim. He seemed unfazed; rather, his black eyes gleamed with malicious excitement. Vaati felt frozen as he watched. Link had the Four Sword, so surely this time, he would have an advantage over Ghirahim.

He felt someone tugging at his sleeve. He looked over in confusion, to see Zelda by his side, eyes wide. "Vaati! You have to get as many people out of here as possible!" she told him in a frantic whisper. "Please!"

"But -" He turned his head back to the standoff on the stage. What if Link needed help?

"Please, Vaati! It's the only way we can get them out! Link will be okay for now!" Zelda pleaded.

Vaati clenched his fists. "Fine. But the moment it looks like he's in trouble..." He turned around, glaring out at the crowd. "Just get them out of the Castle, right? Easy." Raising a hand, the Mage snapped his fingers.

The night sky filled with the leathery flapping wings of hundreds of keese. They descended towards the crowd, swirling among them, their squeaks mixing with the frightened screams of the people being surrounded by the monstrous bats. Vaati snapped his fingers again. The keese began flying in rings, encircling each and every person. Tighter and tighter the circles grew, until it looked impossible for a person to be in the center of it anymore. And then the keese dispersed to the sky, leaving an empty space behind.

"There, happy?" he asked Zelda.

Her eyes were wide with awe at the spontaneously empty courtyard. "You... when did you become so skilled with your magic?"

"It does what I want it to. I just have to want it enough. And what I want now..." Vaati turned back to face the stage. "...is to help Link skewer that creep."


	33. Chapter 32

A/N: I'm finally back! I apologize for the long, long delay. For those who haven't seen the update on my profile, I had a depressive episode that lasted a few weeks. It just mostly sapped me of all desire to do anything, and so this story didn't get any attention for a while. I am doing better now and I'm finally writing again!

Okyaku-san: thank you for the encouragement and sharing your own story! I tried cuddling my cat but she's not the cuddling type XP Thankfully I only get depressed every so often, but March was really not a fun month! I hope this story can boost everyone's mood and motivation a little - I write to create emotions in myself and my readers, and I hope it reaches you all.

Hello to fanofallfictiondf508, ilovestorys, and Emily Tsoi!

* * *

Chapter 32

This time, she wasn't helpless. Link squeezed the handle of the Four Sword as though to reassure herself that it was real and solid. Its blade glinted in the spotlight, the green gem in its hilt sparkling. She looked past Ghirahim at her twins, all holding a copy of the Four Sword, gleaming bright. This time, she had a weapon. And not just any weapon - the sacred Four Sword, which was able to seal away evil. Even a demon like Ghirahim would be vulnerable to its edge. Multiply that by four, and her chances of winning were near certain.

Ghirahim smirked at her, completely unfazed by the four Heroes surrounding him. "I must say, when I first laid eyes on you, I was beside myself with frustration. Yet again, I thought, I would be hindered by a child. I once fought a Hero, and he almost made me respect his skills. I could never defeat him. Although... he never quite defeated me, either." He lifted his black sword and ran his tongue over its edge. "You, however, only resemble him in appearance and that lack of fear you like to call courage. Now I am beside myself with glee at the thought of wetting my blade with your blood. It will be all too easy."

"Yeah, licking your sword and stuff isn't cool, it's just gross and unsanitary," Vio called out. "Can we skewer him yet, Link?"

"Please," she growled.

In unison, the four Links raised their swords. Link and Blue, in front of Ghirahim, lunged forward, each swinging downwards at his torso. He brought his blade up, intercepting both of them neatly, using only one hand to hold both of them back. While he was occupied with those two, Vio and Red rushed in from behind. One swung high, the other low, in a deadly scissor combination.

He barely glanced back and then disappeared. Their swords cut through empty air. The four turned around, searching for their opponent.

"I see that you will actually provide some entertainment this time," the demon called. They turned towards the voice, to see him standing atop one of the outdoor speakers. He snapped his fingers, causing a second sword to appear in his other hand. And then he vanished again.

Just in time, Link saw Ghirahim appear in the air above Red, swords pointed down. "Move, Red!" she shouted.

Her twin rolled out of the way, Ghirahim plunging to the empty stage behind her, his blades diving into the boards. Vio saw her chance and lunged forward. Her sword arced down across his back.

The demon grunted. Link's heart flared with hope. Had Vio's attack hurt him? Vio's face split into a satisfied smile, and she struck again, causing him to grunt in pain with each hit. But he quickly vanished before she could hit more than just a few times.

Link turned around, once again looking for the demon. Her eyes swept over the courtyard - wait a moment... it was empty. Just two people stood there below the stage: Vaati and Zelda. She locked eyes with the Mage. Had he teleported everyone away?

"Vaati!" she cried. "Find Impa and Aveil! They're in the castle! I think there are other guests still inside, too - get them all out of here! I'll keep Ghirahim busy."

She didn't wait to see if he'd heard. There was the telltale sound of Ghirahim teleporting, and she whipped around. The demon was at the far end of the stage. With a snap, he summoned a ring of black daggers, floating around him. Another snap, and the weapons went hurtling towards the four Links.

They all scattered, dodging the daggers expertly. Link saw Red take off towards Ghirahim, launching into a furious set of attacks with a battle cry. The demon blocked each and every one with ease. Red didn't back down, however; even a demon had to falter at some point. The silver blade of the Four Sword contrasted sharply with Ghirahim's black sword, light and dark clashing, then separating, before coming back again to strike each other. Red and Ghirahim stood with their blades pushing against each other, trying to overpower the other. The demon looked as though he were merely holding his hand up, not straining against Red.

Blue and Vio ran to join their twin. Ghirahim's dark eyes glanced over at their approach. Vio attempted to stab him in the side, but his free hand shot out, catching her blade in two fingers. Link saw her struggle to pull her sword away. Strength, speed, teleportation... even with the four of them, Link wondered what it would take to bring the demon to his knees.

With both his hands occupied, Blue attacked Ghirahim from behind. He flinched from each strike. Like before, after several hits, he simply vanished, reappearing on the other side of the stage, keeping out of reach.

And so it went - Ghirahim generally kept his distance, hurling daggers at them or appearing above one of them. They did their best to dodge, and once he was close, they attacked. Each hit felt less satisfying, though, with each attack they launched. He was being injured, wasn't he? And yet, they were the only ones showing signs of wearying. The demon watched them with a small smile, as though enjoying a game.

"Is that the light of hope fading from your eyes that I see?" Ghirahim taunted. "Even with the strength of four Heroes, you lack a key ingredient. That sword in your hand will never be able to best me. It was created for the Wind Mage, not for me. No, you will need a different sword. Too bad for you that you won't be alive to find out which one that is."

He vanished, and they looked up, anticipating his attack from the air. Link heard a laugh, before realizing that it was coming from behind her. She whipped around to see Ghirahim right behind her. His black blade flashed towards her face. Caught off guard, she was only able to clumsily block his attack; the tip of his blade cut near the corner of her eye. They both leaped back from each other, Ghirahim gleefully admiring the blood on the edge of his sword, Link feeling the cut oozing warm blood down the side of her face.

Why wouldn't the Four Sword harm him? It had the power to repel evil, didn't it? If it could defeat someone as powerful as the Wind Mage Vaati had been, surely it had the power to overcome a demon.

A different sword, he said. Could he mean the Master Sword? But it was missing, likely taken by the Yiga. Perhaps that was all part of Ghirahim's plan - by taking away the Master Sword, he was ensuring victory for himself. And this fight was just a fun game of cat and mice for the demon.

Ghirahim raised his sword to launch into another attack, but just then, there was a rumbling under their feet. Ominous smoke poured from an upper level of Hyrule Castle. The demon frowned. "Tch, those Yiga... they are even more impatient than I am."

Link's heartbeat picked up. Were Vaati and the others safe? He and Zelda were no longer in the courtyard, so they were probably in the castle. She called out to her twins, "Keep him occupied!" and leaped off of the stage, pelting towards the castle.

She heard Ghirahim teleport, and she screeched to a halt just in time to avoid the swing of his blade. But Blue had followed her, and she attacked Ghirahim, diverting his attention away from Link. With a grateful nod to her twins, she took off again. She heard them give their battle cries. Even if they couldn't defeat Ghirahim, she knew they could hold their own against him.

The ballroom was completely empty; there was glass scattered on the marble floor near the refreshment tables, where wine glasses had fallen in some commotion. Link ran up the grand staircase, following her ears and nose to where the source of the smoke was coming from. As she ran, she spotted signs every so often of struggle - vases knocked over, chunks missing from the wall, burns in the carpet, flickering lights. She even had to step over two or three unconscious Yiga agents.

Turning a corner, she barreled into someone, and immediately leaped back, drawing her sword. The other person also drew back defensively, hands raised and wind whistling. They both relaxed when they recognized each other.

"Geez, I thought you were a Yiga," Link sighed, lowering the Four Sword and giving Vaati a smile.

"Same here... There's been way too many of them." Vaati sighed. His eyes flickered to the side of Link's face. "You're bleeding."

Link shrugged. "Just a minor scratch. Where's everyone else?"

"I sent Zelda back to the Abbey. Impa and Aveil are going to meet me in the ballroom; they were checking for guests."

"What about that explosion?" Link pointed at the ceiling.

Vaati shook his head. "It was just a loud smoke bomb so the Yiga could get away. Impa and I were fighting about five of them." He suddenly squinted and looked around. "Where's Ghirahim? And your twins?"

"Still fighting. Hopefully..." Link looked down at the Four Sword in her hand. "I still can't hurt him, not even with this. I thought I could finally beat him, but in the end, I have the wrong sword. And the right one - the Master Sword - is missing." Her fingers tightened around the hilt, her eyes hardening. "I have to find out where he's hiding it."

Her roommate opened his mouth to speak, but there was a sudden loud crash from down the hall. They both whipped towards the sound. More Yiga? Had Ghirahim caught up to Link? Link grabbed Vaati's arm and dragged him into the nearest room. They waited, barely breathing, standing right by the door and listening closely.

Quick footsteps pattered by. Two or three people, Link guessed. She opened the door just enough to see out into the hall. As she thought, they were Yiga agents, running swiftly back the way Vaati had come.

She moved forward to chase after them, but Vaati grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

"I'm going to follow them," she replied, frowning.

"And what if Ghirahim pops up when you're fighting them?" her friend pressed. "We should just meet up with Impa and Aveil and get out of here. We can't do anything as long as Ghirahim is here." When Link just looked back at the door, he tugged on her arm. "Seriously, Link. You'll only get hurt."

She gently pulled her arm out of his grip. "I'm the Hero. I can't just run away and let Ghirahim get away with this."

The Mage sighed in exasperation. "Fine, then let's find the others first before we pick anymore fights." He took her arm again and dragged her behind him back towards the ballroom, ignoring her protests.

They walked quickly, not speaking. Vaati never let go of Link, and she found herself focused on his hand. His grip was tight, as though he wanted to make sure she wouldn't get away. Such a contrast to when they had danced; he'd barely held her hand and the pressure on her waist was ghostlike. If she didn't know any better, she would say that he'd been nervous. Which was strange; she was the one dressed up as a girl - she should have been the only nervous one. Did it have something to do with the kiss - he was still nervous because of that?

Link shook her head. Now wasn't the time to worry about that. Later... "Hey, Vaati." He glanced back at her. "After all this is over, I have something I want to talk to you about." Maybe she wouldn't ask about the kiss, but still... she wanted to clear up the unsettled feelings between them if possible.

Vaati frowned at her in a concerned way, but she just smiled and quickened her pace until she was the one leading, pulling her arm out of his grip and grabbing his hand instead. "C'mon! We've got some Yigas' butts to kick!"

As they approached the ballroom, they caught the sounds of metal hitting metal and pained grunts. A fight was already underway. Link broke out into a full sprint, rushing out onto the balcony of the ballroom. Down below, her three twins were scattered across the room, with Ghirahim standing in the center.

Vio and Blue rushed at him from opposite sides. At the last moment he vanished, and their swords ended up crashing against the other's. Link cried out in alarm when the demon reappeared right behind Blue, bringing down his black blade across her back. She cried out in pain, legs giving out from the blow. Vio shouted and tried to counterattack, but Ghirahim merely jumped back in a graceful flip.

Link leaped from the balcony before Vaati could stop her, rolling as she hit the marble floor. Ghirahim regarded her with a calm smirk. "You are early. I had planned to kill these three before you returned." He swept his sword towards her twins. For the first time, Link saw that they were all bleeding from various cuts: Vio had a gash on her arm, Red was limping from a wound in her thigh, and Blue lay on the ground, blood flowing profusely from her back.

Vaati came running to her side, his eyes quickly darting over the other Links, narrowing as he saw the damage as well. The red of his eyes began to glow slightly. "We should get them out of here," he hissed to Link.

She nodded. The Mage snapped his fingers, summoning a cloud of Keese. Before Ghirahim could react and attack the Keese, they flew towards the injured twins, enveloping them before dispersing, leaving behind only bloodstains on the marble floor.

"How inconvenient," Ghirahim frowned at the spots his victims had been only moments ago. Then he turned to Link and Vaati, letting his sword vanish into diamonds. "Is running and hiding the only thing you know, Wind Mage?"

Vaati snapped back, "I'm not going anywhere until I beat that smirk off your face."

The demon only laughed and grinned, apparently amused by Vaati's anger. "You are a long ways from beating me into doing anything." He began walking backwards, away from the center of the ballroom. "I tire of play-fighting with these so-called heroes. Why don't you two amuse yourselves with this?" He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

A shock ran through the ground, making Link and Vaati stumble. Ominous cracks began to appear in the marble, spreading out from the center of the room like a spider's web. The two quickly stepped back as the floor started to swell at the center.

"It is quite lucky for me that you Hylians are so... sentimental. You don't like to dispose of anything, not even the bodies of your enemies," Ghirahim mused from the other side of the ballroom.

The floor was breaking now, large chunks separating from each other and dirt crumbling out from the cracks. Whatever was coming out of the ground, it was huge. Link held her breath. Her mind ran through all the giant monsters the Hero had had to face in the legends: dragons, giant skeletons, robots...

All at once, the floor burst, chunks of marble flying into the air. Link instinctively threw her hands up, but Vaati was already using wind to shield them both. It was impossible to see anything through the cloud of dirt and marble raining down. She felt it, though - something huge, shifting its feet, adding subtle tremors to the already rumbling floor.

Slowly, the dust cleared. The mysterious giant in front of them gradually shifted from a shadow within the dust cloud to the beast it truly was...

"Oh, Hylia," Link cursed as the beast's single yellow eye fixed upon her, and it turned on its eight legs towards them. "Why a Gohma?"


	34. Chapter 33

A/N: Link's first boss battle - commence! I am _quite_ excited for this chapter.

(whispers) I'm supposed to be writing a 5-page paper right now

Okyaku-san: It does seem like restoring the Four Sword was all for nothing, huh? But don't worry - it still has an important role to play later on! Also, it's still useful for skewering giant bugs ;)

Guest: I'm glad you enjoyed the battle part - you'll love this chapter, then!

Welcome to Selera!

* * *

Chapter 33

A giant spider with one yellow eye in the center of its head, with a dark gray exoskeleton that looked almost like metal, and eight legs that took up nearly the whole ballroom floor - there was no denying that the monster in front of them was a full-grown Gohma. It was missing one of its fangs, however, and patches of its hard covering were gone, strangely reminiscent of peeling paint. As it shifted and turned, surveying its surroundings, Link took a deep breath. If it was just her and her sword, she'd probably be close to screwed in a fight against this thing.

Lucky for her, she had one very powerful Mage with her.

"If you are considering departing," Ghirahim called, walking into view from behind the Gohma, "I would really ask you not to. As you can likely surmise, walls would be no obstacle if our arachnid friend wished to crawl outside the castle and take a tour of your dear capital and sample on the citizens."

Link and Vaati kept their distance from the Gohma, walking slowly to the side as it continued to look at them, turning as well. Vaati muttered, "Why would something like that be kept under the castle?"

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" Link offered weakly. "They probably didn't expect a demon lord to summon it back to life..."

Suddenly, the Gohma hissed and lunged towards them, with unexpected speed. The two dashed in opposite directions. Link came up next to one of its legs and swung her sword at the joint. It only made a dull whack, not even scratching the spider's exoskeleton. She ran away again as it turned towards her, likely irritated with her attack.

So, physical attacks would do nothing unless she found a weak spot in its armor. There were missing pieces, but none of them were easily accessible. Her guess, then, would be either the Gohma's giant eye or its underbelly. No way did she plan on running under that thing, though.

She saw Vaati on the other side of the ballroom, keeping his distance and looking frustratedly unsure of what to do. He may have the magic, she realized, but he wasn't experienced in using it in real-life combat. "Try attacking its eye!" Link called out to him, nearly getting interrupted as the Gohma rushed her again.

It came to a halt when its prey suddenly vanished, and it turned side to side, looking for her. Just as it spotted her again, using its legs as hiding spots, Vaati hurled chunks of marble at the Gohma, drawing its attention to himself. The giant spider turned around and hissed.

Vaati glared back, eyes glowing. More chunks of broken marble rose into the air around him. As the Gohma started to crawl towards him, he sent the projectiles flying at its face. It screeched as one hit it dead in the eye. Rather than halting, however, it rushed at Vaati even faster in anger.

"Get out of the way!" Link cried. Vaati was already moving, though - straight up into the air. His eyes were almost as wide as hers as he soared up above the Gohma and then over it. He started to grin as he gained control of the wind lifting him, and he came to a stop just above the Gohma's abdomen.

The giant spider lifted its gaze to the Mage floating above it just in time to see a massive rock plummeting down onto its head. Link flinched at the ear-piercing shriek it gave as it crumpled under the block of stone, legs flailing. Seeing her chance, Link darted forward, leaping up onto the Gohma's thorax, right by its eye. She didn't hesitate - with a shout, she plunged her sword straight into the Gohma's giant yellow eye.

It screeched bloody murder and heaved itself to its feet, throwing both Link and the block of marble flying off. The Sheikah agent crashed into the wall, slamming her left shoulder and knocking the breath out of her. As she blinked the spots from her eyes, she saw the Gohma head for the opposite wall - and start crawling straight up it.

Vaati, looking at Link in concern, only whirled around when she shouted out in alarm at the spider quickly approaching him, now crawling upside down on the ceiling. He dropped down to the ground, neck craned to watch his enemy.

It halted exactly above him. Something like blood oozed from its eye, rimming it with purple. It screeched and its eye began to glow. Then, suddenly, a beam of energy erupted from its eye, blasting down towards Vaati.

Link lurched forward, but she was too far away to do anything. She could only watch, heartbeat skipping, as Vaati narrowed his eyes and lifted his hands as the Gohma's attack plummeted towards him. The beam crashed down, too bright for Link to see clearly at first whether it had hit Vaati or not.

Her heart skipped again - he was still standing, with his hands held up against the Gohma's beam. Some sort of dark energy emanated from his palms, protecting him from the beam of energy. He stood there without flinching or wavering, almost as though holding his hands out to keep a pesky child away from him. The red of his glowing eyes contrasted with the shadowy shield coming from his hands.

The Gohma's attack abruptly stopped, like it wanted to check to see if its prey was a pile of ashes yet. Unfortunately for it, Vaati was still very much alive, and very much about to return the favor. The darkness formed into a large ball above him and shot upward, crashing into the Gohma's weak point.

It shrieked and lost its grip on the ceiling. Vaati vanished, reappearing by Link's side as the Gohma plunged to the rubble-ridden floor. The ground shook. Stranded on its back, the Gohma's legs flailed, but there was nothing for it to grab for leverage. She may have imagined it, but it looked like more of the arachnid's hard shell had cracked and flaked off.

Link turned to Vaati with wide eyes of awe. "Have you always been this badass?"

The Mage frowned, sighing. He glanced at her left shoulder, which she was holding. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"This? Oh, yeah, I'm fine! I don't _think_ it's dislocated, just super bruised. Good thing I'm ambidextrous!" She shifted her sword to her right hand, grinning.

Her friend opened his mouth to reply, but just at that moment, the Gohma's movement caught their eye. They turned to see it curling its abdomen up towards the ceiling. A stream of webbing shot from the spider, latching to the marble dome overhead. Vaati muttered a curse as the Gohma lifted itself up into the air by the web until it could get its footing once again.

"I'll draw its attention," Link said quickly. "You keep in its blind spots, try to pin it down again for me." She pushed Vaati to one side and trotted towards the Gohma, jabbing her sword at its legs tauntingly. When its gaze fixed on her, she started running the other direction, drawing it after her.

Seriously, the thing was way too fast for its size. Link had to go nearly at a sprint to keep out of reach, only pausing every so often to make sure it was still focused on her. It kept hissing at her angrily. At one point, it stopped following, and she had to get a little too close for comfort to jab at it, afraid it was looking for Vaati. She had no clue exactly how intelligent it was, but she wasn't going to take any chances.

Vaati carefully lifted a block of stone into the air, holding it as he waited for the Gohma to slow down just enough. Link came to a halt and braced herself. The spider kept on going towards her - right until it got squashed again.

Once again, Link rushed onto the Gohma. She plunged the Four Sword into its eye all the way up to the hilt, and, for extra damage, twisted it, drawing the most pained, painful screech yet. Hastily, she pulled the sword out and leaped off of the spider.

Much weaker than last time, the Gohma pushed itself to its feet, throwing off the block of marble. Its entire eye was stained purple now, and it darted back and forth with its gaze, shifting its feet side to side as though drunk. Link and Vaati uneasily watched as the arachnid staggered backwards, then forward, crawling past Link up the wall, up to the ceiling once more. There, it stopped, hissing weakly. And then it fell.

It landed on the broken ballroom floor without any screeches or shrieks, just with a thud that sent shudders through the ground. Its eight long legs curled in towards its stomach as pieces of its exoskeleton peeled away and flaked to the floor. A stain of purple could subtly be seen beneath the Gohma.

Link cautiously approached. Even if it was in the classic dead-spider pose, she didn't trust the Gohma to be dead just like that. She poked its leg with her sword, gently at first, then practically whacking it when there was no reaction.

"I think we killed it!" she shouted, turning to give Vaati a smile and a thumbs-up.

He shook his head with a sigh and started walking over to her, the glow of magic finally fading from his eyes. But he halted when Ghirahim's voice rang out.

"I suppose I can only confess that choosing a half-rotted corpse was - for once - underestimating you both." They turned their attention to the demon, who had been temporarily forgotten in the midst of the battle. He was seated on the railing of the balcony, chin propped on one hand, leg swinging idly as he stared at them critically.

Link narrowed her eyes, tensing. She couldn't figure out what his goal in attacking the castle was. He'd claimed he wanted Zelda, Link, and Vaati, but Zelda, whom he had kidnapped, as well as most, if not all, of the party guests were now gone, and Link and Vaati had defeated the giant monster he'd summoned. The Master Sword was gone, true, but that couldn't be the only other reason Ghirahim was here. Did he still plan to try to subdue the two of them?

"Tell me, Wind Mage," the demon lord asked musingly. "I have pondered long and hard, and sought some type of logical reason for your insistence on playing hero, and yet I simply cannot understand why you would waste your time with such a weak being. You, who were nearly a god once, let yourself be dragged about by this child, who cannot even best a half-dead spider on his own."

The insult stung, but Link didn't have a chance to feel upset. Vaati strode towards Ghirahim, glaring up at the demon with eyes glowing once more. "It's called not being a puppet to fate. I made my choice to follow a different path than what everyone else thinks I'm supposed to. Being a god is idiotic. And I have no plans to be a hero, either."

The demon smirked down at Vaati. "Oh? I am simply dying to know what else you could possibly plan to be."

"Whatever I need to be to send you back to where you came from and out of our lives. You lost your chance to convert me the moment you attacked us in the library."

"How interesting," Ghirahim rose, standing on the balcony railing, his smirk growing more confident. He summoned his sword and leaned forward. "I have yet to raise my blade to _you_ first, Wind Mage. You really have become a dog that is too eager to protect its master. If the master were to be lost, I wonder what would happen to this little puppy...?"

His meaning registered immediately. Vaati quickly looked back at Link, and she detected the panic in his eyes, barely hidden under his anger. She turned her gaze up to Ghirahim. "Try and best me, then," she taunted, making her voice sound confident. "I might not be able to beat you right now, but you won't have an easy time defeating me, either."

"Oh, that sounds like an enticing invitation." The demon teleported to stand in front of Link. "You will beg for death by the end of this, Hero."

Vaati immediately started running towards them, but Ghirahim snapped his fingers. A wall of gold and red diamonds appeared in a ring around the two, clearly a barrier. Vaati narrowed his eyes and shot a ball of dark energy at it, but the barrier only glowed brighter where it was hit.

"Magic 101, Wind Mage," Ghirahim hummed, keeping his dark gaze fixed on Link as he spoke, unperturbed by Vaati repeatedly trying to break the wall of diamonds. "Magic is ineffective against other magic of the same kind, unless one is overwhelmingly stronger than the other. Your dark magic is far too weak to break through my barrier."

It was a small arena; Ghirahim likely wouldn't be doing too much teleporting away in such a small space. Just Link and the demon facing each other squarely. She didn't trust him to be fair, though.

She just needed to hold her own against him. But until when? Until Vaati was able to break the barrier? Until Impa and Aveil made it to the ballroom and figured out a way to rescue her? Link took a deep breath. She didn't see an easy way out of this, but she could only do her best to not lose. Because if she lost...

Ghirahim swung his sword, and their duel began. By now, Link was becoming attuned to the demon lord's style: like a viper, he struck quickly and precisely. He had a habit of adding unnecessary flourishes to his movements, but he rarely let them leave himself open to attacks. She found he liked to pause every so often and simply watch her own movements. At those times, she could get his attention focused on her sword and do a feint attack, pretending to strike high but quickly switching and hitting him lower.

Yet again, however, any attacks she did land did nothing more than make him grunt slightly. Apparently being a demon meant near-limitless stamina too, because he didn't seem to slow at all, even when Link began panting. Her lungs were burning and muscles tiring from her previous two battles. Even the adrenaline of the fight was faded, and she was simply attacking in an effort to keep Ghirahim occupied. A cut on her arm, a blow to her already bruised left shoulder, another gash on her cheek... She was unable to block every attack.

He brought his sword down against hers, pressing down on Link. Arms trembling, it was all she could do to stay standing. But then one leg gave out, and she fell to one knee. Ghirahim saw his chance. Before she could recover, his black blade was flashing towards her.

She cried out as it pierced her right shoulder, only stopping when it met the bone of her shoulder blade. Ghirahim held it there, vicious glee sparkling in his dark eyes. Then he shoved her backwards. Link collapsed onto her back, clutching at her wounded shoulder, feeling warm blood already seeping into her shirt and onto her hand. Bright spots danced in her vision from the pain.

Her enemy appeared in her sight above her, and she rolled to the side in time to narrowly avoid being skewered in the gut. Link pulled herself to her feet. She almost fell over again when pain spiked in her shoulder from all the movement.

"Ah, just look!" Ghirahim grinned. He was eyeing the blood staining the tip of his sword. "I do so love blood for its unique painting qualities, and it looks like yours is perfect for my next work." The demon lifted some of the blood off with his finger, then dragged it along the length of the blade. He grinned darkly at Link. "Come, let me paint some more!"

Outside the arena, Vaati was a veritable storm, the wind whirling around him furiously, eyes glowing as he hurled ball after ball of dark energy at the barrier. Link turned her head, and their eyes met. Vaati's eyes were full of fear and anger. He paused in his assault on the barrier, looking at Link with hopeless desperation.

She lowered her sword and faced Ghirahim. There was nothing they could do. Fighting like this would only bring pain to herself and to Vaati.

"I surrender."

Ghirahim frowned, while Vaati cried out, "What are you doing, Link?!" She couldn't look back at him for fear of losing her resolve.

"You wanted us for something, right?" she asked Ghirahim. "For your evil plans or whatever. I'll surrender to you, but you have to let one of us go. Otherwise, I'll continue wasting your time until either you or I die, and then you'll be missing a pretty important piece, won't you?"

She could see Ghirahim deliberating over the proposal, running a finger thoughtfully over the edge of his sword. The only chance she had to save one of them was to appeal to Ghirahim's wishes. He seemed to be seriously considering it. Link held her breath, ignoring Vaati's protests.

"As much as I was looking forward to drawing more of that wonderful paint from your body, even I grow tired of playing with you." The demon lord sent his sword away in a flurry of diamonds, smirking at Link. The barrier around them faded away. "I accept your offer."

Link let out a relieved sigh. Cautiously, she sheathed the Four Sword. Her fighting spirit loathed to surrender, but she knew it would be stupid to keep fighting until Ghirahim shredded her to a bloody pulp. No, she had to give in now so she could be alive and ready for the next fight.

She saw movement on the balcony, and she looked up to see several Yiga agents staring down at them from behind their masks. They moved to the sides, revealing Impa and Aveil, both being held by agents, their hands bound and weapons gone. Impa caught her gaze, and slowly shook her head, seeing Link's hand creeping back to her sword. Even the Sheikah chief had surrendered.

"Now then... I shall be taking the Wind Mage under my wing." Ghirahim waved a hand, and two Yiga agents leaped down from balcony, approaching Vaati.

Link's eyes widened. "Wh-what?!" She snapped her head to her friend. "Vaati, get out of here!"

Ghirahim clicked his tongue. "I hadn't expected the Hero to go back on his word. You said I had I let _one_ of you go, and so I am letting you go. Shouldn't you be grateful to escape with your life? Of course, I could just keep you both."

Vaati kept casting his gaze back and forth between the Yiga approaching him and Link still shouting at him to leave. He took a step back, the indecision clear in his face. Link shook her head. "Just go! You can teleport out of here!"

There was a metallic shing, and then she felt the hard edge of Ghirahim's sword pressed against her neck, the blood on it sticky and already cold. His voice was close to her ear as he spoke. "You wouldn't abandon your master, now would you?" he taunted Vaati. "If you leave, I promise I will kill him right here."

The Yiga were only feet away from Vaati now. Link could feel her heartbeat pounding against the sword at her neck, a new surge of adrenaline dulling the pain of her wounds. She couldn't speak, only look at Vaati with pleading in her eyes. They couldn't let Ghirahim have any control over him.

But he didn't leave. The fire of anger dimmed, and he let the Yiga grab his arms, let them tie his hands behind his back. He kept his gaze fixed on Link and Ghirahim. "Let him go now."

"With pleasure," Ghirahim purred.

Link stumbled away from the demon lord when he withdrew his sword. But she didn't have a moment to catch her breath. Suddenly, Vaati's eyes flashed bright red, and there was the sound of metal on metal behind her. She whirled around to see a Darknut towering there, blocking Ghirahim's sword.

Had he almost attacked her? She whirled back around, running towards Vaati, but she slowed to a stop when he shook his head. Wind starting picking up around her, tugging at her clothes. What was he doing...? Everything started growing darker as the wind grew stronger and tighter around her. No... no, he wasn't teleporting her away, was he?

"Vaati! Get out of here! Please!" she screamed over the wind.

Just as the darkness began to completely take her, she saw one of the Yiga raise his fist and strike Vaati in the head. Then she was lost in the darkness.


	35. Chapter 34

A/N: must I always write an author's note? Yes, yes I must. Slightly dissatisfied with this chapter; I always have a hard time keeping people in character when they get super emotional. Let me know what you think!

I still have to finish that paper

Okyaku-san: forgive me, but I laughed quite a lot at your anguished review. Mission Cliffhanger accomplished! Heh.

lordvaatithewindmage: Vaati's magic is actually kinda hard to write, because he has so many possible things he could do. Just from the things he's able to do in the games, I'd say he'd easily be a fair match against Ganon - if he wanted to fight him. I really want another game with Vaati in it! Actually, I'm still really salty that he wasn't a playable character in Hyrule Warriors... I wanted to see all the amazing magic combos... Ahem, anyways!

* * *

Chapter 34

It felt a bit like a memory. Or perhaps a dream he had had so often that it felt more like reality than imagination. There wasn't much he could see clearly, but he was aware of green, of grass and trees on all sides. The trees towered far above him, and he lifted a hand as though reaching for their tops, feeling frustratingly small.

People walked by him. They weren't any race he recognized; they reminded him of mice, but they walked upright and wore cloaks. He was aware how small he was compared to even them as well. They barely cast him a second glance as they passed. He was insignificant in the shadows of the trees and the people around him.

The loneliness was frustrating. To be in sight and yet unseen. What could he do to make them see him? To make them unable to not notice him?

A wizened old man passed by, holding a staff. The mage - that was it! He would learn magic and draw everyone's attention. Anything to dispel the loneliness of anonymity. He called out, and the mage turned...

The dream shifted into the familiar, agonizing darkness. The feeling was different this time, however; he no longer had the energy to cry out for release. Resignation, perhaps? But still that desire to escape lingered, though he lacked the strength to voice it. The darkness-driven madness had merely accepted that no one would hear his cries.

Why was this his punishment? Why had he been sentenced to this torture? Death would be better; to cease to be and not even be aware of it. Was he really so evil that they had deemed him worthy of this immaterial prison, this emptiness of everything?

He only wished to be seen. Now, he could not even see himself. Perhaps he had become greedy. Somewhere, his wish had turned to the desire to be acknowledged by all, to demand their attention. For that wish, he had overthrown the kingdom and placed himself in control.

Someone always saved the kingdom, and threw him into this prison, no matter how strong he made himself. Always, always, that Hero saved the Princess and the kingdom.

He'd simply grown spiteful the third time. He kidnapped her out of jealousy. The Hero that always saved the Princess - in life after life, why did he always save her, run after her and protect her? Whether they recalled their past lives or not, they always remembered each other.

And now, as he felt as though he were losing himself to the darkness, he wondered what it would be like to have just one person that would be there for him, no matter what. Perhaps that was what he had wanted all along.

One more chance... He'd do things differently this time.

* * *

Vaati quickly regretted waking up. His head pulsed with a dull ache and his body was sore from lying on the ground. At firstm, he was merely confused about why he was sleeping on a hard floor. As he sat up, though, and saw the crater in the floor and the chunks of rock scattered around the room, he quickly recalled everything that had happened - the battle with Gohma, Link's duel with Ghirahim, and the narrow escape Vaati had been able to help the blonde make.

He was still in the ballroom, which likely meant not much time had passed. Vaati looked quickly around, wincing from the knot in his neck. As expected, Ghirahim was not far off; the demon lord was sitting on the balcony railing above him, thumbing through a book.

"Welcome back, Wind Mage," the pale-haired man greeted him. He directed his dark eyes to the Mage below him, smirking. "Oh dear, did the marble leave you sore? I couldn't decide whether to treat you as a guest or a prisoner, so I just left you there to get over that blow to the head. Now that you are awake, we may discuss your status from here on out."

Grunting slightly, Vaati stood, working out the aches in his shoulders. "What's keeping me here at all?" he demanded.

Ghirahim waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, I am fully aware of your ability to teleport. Which is why I would like to offer you something you cannot gain if you leave this place." He held up the book he'd been reading, tracing a finger along the edge of the cover. "I was quite disappointed to learn that history has entirely forgotten my master, and myself as well. But these humans never were able to keep track of the past. They much prefer to focus on the here and now, don't they? It's been their undoing so many times, and yet they never learn."

"What are you even talking about?" Vaati growled. He wished to leave, but he knew Ghirahim wouldn't just let him; there had to be some sort of trap or something that would prevent him from teleporting away.

"I am making a new self-introduction. As you know, I am the demon lord called Ghirahim. What no one recalls is that I was once the loyal servant of Demise." Ghirahim stood and shut the book, tossing it down to land at Vaati's feet. "After my master was so irreverently defeated by the Hero, he cast a curse: he bound his spirit and that of the Hero and the Goddess-Princess together, cursing them to be eternally reborn and to fight again in every life. You would know him as Ganon."

The demon's words ran through his head slowly. He knew there was some sort of magic at play that had caused the cycle of rebirth of the Hero, Princess, and Ganon, but not even the oldest legends spoke of the details of it. Just how ancient was Ghirahim, if he claimed to have been the servant of the one who began it all?

"So, resurrecting Ganon actually is your goal," Vaati stated more than asked. "And you accuse me of being overly attached to someone."

Ghirahim laughed lightly. Gracefully, he leaped down from the balcony, landing almost silently. "I was created to serve my master. My very existence is meaningless if I do nothing to bring him back to the power he once held over Hyrule. Whether he is Demise or Ganon, I see no difference."

He crossed his arms and peered at Vaati critically. "You, however, are _quite_ different. When I learned of the Wind Mage, I believed him to be another of my master's incarnations, but he was separate from the cycle. Rather than being reborn, he outlived three of the Heroes simply by being sealed away, not killed. I was astonished at their stupidity, but thrilled at the same time. And every time he was released, he was stronger than before - the hatred nurtured within him all those years... Ah! What a wonderful ally, I thought! His power rivaled my master's." Ghirahim ran a hand through his bangs and shook his head. "Only to find that the Wind Mage had vanished. But oh! I thought. Perhaps he had found a way to be reborn. With such hope in my heart, I sought him, and what did I find? _This_." He swept his hand in a bothered gesture, pointing at Vaati. "This weak human who barely dared to use magic, who wished to be anything but his past, powerful self. Did your spirit rot away in that sword, Wind Mage? Or have you yet to drop this deplorable act of being the Hero's ally?"

"I told you already - being a god is stupid," Vaati muttered. "You call the Heroes stupid, but I think the one who keeps fighting a battle he knows he'll lose is the bigger idiot. Whatever it was that I wanted with all that power..." He paused, foggily recalling the dream he'd had. Recognition... loneliness... "Whatever it was, it wasn't worth all those years sealed in the Four Sword. My past self probably realized his mistakes and wanted to start over. What I want now..."

Someone who would be there for him, no matter what. Vaati gave a quiet laugh and shook his head. "I've almost messed it up again, but I'm living out that wish. I won't repeat my past mistakes." He narrowed his eyes at Ghirahim. "Your plans interfere with my wish. So I refuse to help you in any way."

The way Ghirahim looked at him could only be described as a poor attempt to hide his disgust and disappointment under an expression of mild interest. His mouth kept twitching slightly. "One last question, Wind Mage," he said slowly. "And I expect you to be honest. You hold special feelings for the Hero, don't you?"

Vaati's heart stopped for a moment. He bit the inside of his cheek and remained silent. He wouldn't admit that to anyone, least of all Ghirahim.

"I take your silence as a yes." The demon lord sighed deeply, pressing both hands to his temples and shaking his head. "The way you fought to keep him from the slightest injury... that look in your eyes when I threatened to take his life in front of you... I have seen that in the eyes of the Hero protecting his beloved Princess. Oh, I never expected something so pathetically weak from the Wind Mage."

He lowered his hands and narrowed his eyes at Vaati. "If I cannot use you, then I shall simply render you useless."

The Mage tensed; was he going to attack him? But the demon simply swept his hand down his body in a gesture indicating himself. "I am certain you noticed that the Four Sword is no better than a particularly sturdy stick against me. Your dear Hero cannot best me unless he wields the Master Sword - which my servants have stolen. Should the boy be unable to find it and take it for himself, he will only be able to watch as I resurrect my master, and he will, of course, be executed, along with the Princess and all your friends.

"I will, however, give you a chance. I will reveal the location of the Master Sword to the Hero. In exchange, you must swear to give him no help from this point forward, and to remain here as my most honored guest. Should you try to aid him in any way, I will kill him. Don't look so enraged - I am being generous here." Ghirahim bowed, the gesture mocking. "You have my word that I will not harm him until he has acquired the Master Sword."

Generous? This was clearly blackmail. Vaati clenched his fists, finding it hard to breathe normally. It was true that they could do nothing until Link got the Master Sword; Vaati's magic wasn't powerful enough to match Ghirahim's. But to be denied the ability to at least protect Link...

"Of course," the white-haired demon added, "you could always refuse, and return to your Hero and try to protect him with that weak magic of yours. But I believe you know how that would end."

His nails were digging into his palms. It was true - what ability to protect Link? He didn't even have that; Ghirahim had been moments away from slitting the blonde's throat, and Vaati had barely been able to rescue his friend. If the demon went after Link with the intent to kill, would Vaati be able to hold him off a second time?

"You see this is the only option to ensure his safety," Ghirahim hummed. His mouth had eased into a pleased smile as he saw Vaati's composure collapsing.

"You expect me to believe you'll keep your word?" Vaati hissed.

The demon grinned. "I swear on my master, Demise."

That could or could not be legitimate. But what did it matter? He had no other choice than to accept the offer. It made his blood boil to be at Ghirahim's mercy, but Vaati could do nothing to change that. To give Link a chance to get the Master Sword... that was their best bet against this mad demon.

Vaati took a deep breath. "Fine. As long as you don't hurt Link, I'll stay out of it from now on."

"As expected from the loyal guard dog. Wonderful! You humans usually seal a contract with a handshake, yes?" Ghirahim held out his hand, eyes glittering with dark amusement.

Reluctantly, Vaati gripped the demon's hand, briefly shocked at how hard and devoid of heat it was. Before he could let go, Ghirahim grabbed his wrist. Vaati jerked away, but the pale man had already accomplished his goal: a golden band circled his wrist, a white diamond-shaped gem inlaid in the metal. "What is this?!" the Mage snapped, trying to pull it off but finding his hand too large.

"My insurance that you will keep your word," Ghirahim replied with a satisfied smirk. "It informs me of exactly where you are, so you won't be tempted to try to sneak away, now, will you?" He just received Vaati's hate-filled glare.

"Now!" The demon clapped his hands together and turned around, facing away from Vaati. He raised a hand and glanced back over his shoulder. "The Master Sword is hidden away in the Yiga Clan's main hideout. Where _that_ is... I believe you have been to its sister hideout. Go along and tell your dear Hero the good news. I will give you, oh, half an hour."

With that, he vanished into gold and red diamonds.

* * *

Vaati loitered in the hall, pacing back and forth. He'd likely already wasted ten of his thirty minutes simply walking up and down the hallway. What was he supposed to tell Link? That he was too weak to protect his friend, too weak to protect even himself? That he had gone back on his promise to stay by Link's side? There was nothing he could say that would make the situation any better.

He heard footsteps. Instinctively, he darted into an open doorway, peeking out slightly. From around the corner came Zelda, her expression tired and worried. She was heading to the Links' room. He hesitated a moment, then called out her name in a whisper.

Zelda startled and whipped her head side to side. When she saw Vaati, half hidden in the doorway, her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to call to him, but he quickly put a finger to his lips and beckoned to her. The girl quietly trotted over.

"How are you here?!" she exclaimed quietly.

"I teleported in..."

But she shook her head. "No, I mean... Ghirahim and the Yiga captured you! How did you escape?"

Vaati looked away. "That's... that's not important right now. Is Link... okay?" He worried that the worn look on her face was because of Link.

"Physically, he's healing well." Her voice dropped quieter. "But he's been so worried about you, and Impa and Aveil. These last two days, he -"

Vaati stopped her. "Wait. Two days?"

She nodded. "It's been two days since Ghirahim captured the castle."

He swore under his breath. He'd been unconscious for two days? That demon was probably to blame. In that time, he had no clue what had become of Impa and Aveil. When he went back, he would look for them.

"Link almost went right back to the castle," Zelda murmured, "injured and frantic. Sheik barely convinced him to stay. He told him that we wouldn't do anything until Link calms down. And his twins... they've been worried, too. All four of them have been in their room almost all day today..."

Vaati sighed, looking at the door that led to the quadruplets' room. He was running out of the time Ghirahim had allowed him. "I'm going to go see him," he told Zelda, walking past her. "Alone, please."

She kept her distance as he knocked on the door. A chorus of "Come in's" greeted him, and slowly, his heartbeat picking up, Vaati opened the door.

It felt as though time froze for a bit. Vaati stared at the four Links, and they stared back at him. They were all seated on the floor, like they were having a meeting, but the moment they saw Vaati, they quieted. The Mage shut the door and fixed his eyes on the original Link. "I'm here to deliver a message," he stated quietly.

As soon as he spoke, their frozen state shattered. Blue and Vio, the closest ones, leaped to their feet and nearly tackled Vaati, both hugging him. "You're alive!" the blue-haired twin shouted joyfully. "I told you guys he's alive!"

Before Vaati could recover, Red pulled Blue and Vio away and, without hesitation, punched Vaati in the face. He stumbled back, holding his bruised face and staring in mute shock at the angry redhead. "You _idiot_! What the hell were you thinking?! Letting Ghirahim get ahold of you and teleporting all four of us away - that's the worst decision ever!"

He looked about ready to go for a second punch, but Blue and Vio grabbed his arms. They shook their heads and pointed behind them at Link, who was still sitting, just staring at Vaati with a frozen expression. The twins pulled Red off to the side.

"You're okay," Link murmured, voice uncharacteristicly rough.

"Or at least, I was," Vaati replied, sending Red a meaningful look as his cheek throbbed painfully.

Link gave a chuckle, but it sounded strange, like only half the sound came out. He stood and walked over to Vaati. The Mage could see dark shadows under his eyes. "You're alive, and that's what matters!" he said, giving a smile that trembled.

"Link... are you alright?" Vaati asked slowly. He looked and sounded... miserable.

Instead of answering, Link wrapped his arms around Vaati, hugging him tightly. Vaati inhaled sharply. "H-hey," he stammered, gently trying to push the blonde away.

But Link just tightened his grip. "I'm kinda almost about to cry," he mumbled into Vaati's shoulder. "It's totally not hero-like, so just gimme a moment, 'kay? I thought... I thought you might be dead or something..."

His mind blanked. Link... about to cry? Vaati looked at the blonde hiding his face in his shoulder. He was that worried about Vaati...? The Mage slowly lifted his arms, gently returning the hug while his heart raced painfully. This wasn't good. His heart was twisting at the thought of telling Link that he was only there for a short time.

"The Master Sword is in the Yiga Clan's main hideout," he murmured before he lost his resolve.

Link pulled back, looking at Vaati with wide eyes, slightly wet with unshed tears. "Wh-what'd you just say?!"

"The Master Sword - it's in the Yiga's main hideout, which has a sister hideout that we've been to," Vaati explained. "Ghirahim told me."

"How'd you get him to tell you that?" Link's eyes remained wide, and his twins had come over to listen intently as well.

Vaati glanced away from the four. "He and I... made a deal," he muttered, so quietly he hoped they didn't hear.

Red caught it. "You seriously are an idiot! You shouldn't make any deals with the enemy - it will only end up badly for you!" he snapped. "What deal did you make?"

When Vaati didn't reply, Link grabbed his arm. "What kind of deal did you make with Ghirahim, Vaati?" the blonde asked anxiously, trying to meet his eyes.

He considered not telling the truth, but he knew he wasn't good at lying. And no matter what he said, it wouldn't make it any easier on Link. Vaati just prayed Link would stay calm. "The location of the Master Sword. And your safety. Those, in exchange for..." Vaati struggled to say the words, to say that he'd chosen to remove himself from Link's side. It was so much harder with Link right in front of him now.

"Those, in exchange for staying out of everything, and being Ghirahim's prisoner," he finally murmured.

Link's hand fell away. He opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to say anything. Then he punched Vaati in the chest, albeit much weaker than Red's punch to his face had been. "Red's right!" he shouted, and Vaati was startled to see tears quickly forming in his eyes. "You _are_ an idiot! Why would you do that?! We're supposed to do this together! We could've found the Master Sword somehow, and beaten up Ghirahim, and - and -"

Unable to bear the tears now trailing down Link's face, Vaati pulled him into a tight embrace. "I didn't know what else to do!" he shouted, more in frustration with himself than anything. Frustration at being so weak. Frustration at hurting Link. Frustration at feeling so _helpless_.

He pulled away. "I have to go back. Ghirahim only gave me half an hour..."

Link gripped his arms, shaking his head roughly. "Don't go! Now that we know where the Master Sword is, we can go find it. You don't have to go back." When Vaati only looked at him silently, he shook him. "Please, Vaati!"

"I have to, Link, don't you get it?! This is the only way!" Vaati pulled Link's hands off of his arms.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?!" Link shouted back. He wiped his tears on his sleeve, glaring and sniffling.

"Because there's something I want! And when I want something, I don't give it up. Whether that's power, magic, or you... I'll do what it takes to get it! I'll even be that demon's prisoner if that's what I have to do to keep you safe!" Without thinking, Vaati pulled Link forward and kissed the blonde on the forehead. Then his mind caught up, and he quickly stepped away, turning around to hide his blushing face.

"Find the Master Sword and skewer Ghirahim with it for me," he called over his shoulder. Then he disappeared into the wind.


	36. Chapter 35

A/N: Ten thousand views! Prepare for intense inner soul searching. Also, very short chapter. Sorry :I

Shout out to new followers mabellon01 and lunar boombox!

* * *

Chapter 35

Just as quickly and unexpectedly as he had come, Vaati was gone. Link hadn't been able to do anything to stop him. She slowly lifted her hand and lightly touched the spot on her forehead where his lips had briefly yet unmistakably pressed against her skin. Shock, grief, and anger kept her frozen in place for a long time.

"Well," Vio broke the silence. "No mistaking what just happened there!"

Link turned her head to frown at her twin. "What?" she said dully.

The purple-haired girl pointed at her forehead with an exaggerated motion. "Uh, the fact that he kissed you again. And that he's basically sacrificing himself to keep you safe. Only one possible meaning there-" She was cut off when Red grabbed her hand and jabbed her in the cheek with her own finger.

"Discuss that later, Vio. Right now, we need to talk to Sheik and Zelda about what just happened," the level-headed twin stated.

Pouting, Vio relented. "But we _will_ discuss it later, right?"

Red glanced at Link, and she was surprised at how serious expression her expression was. "Yes, I think that will be important to talk about."

They all jumped a little when there was a knock at the door. Quickly wiping away the tears streaked on her face, Link trotted over to the door and opened it. Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but she paused when she saw Link's face, and she glanced inside the room. "Vaati... did he leave...?" When they all nodded, her eyes grew sad. "I'm sorry, Link... Are you alright?"

"He's definitely not," Vio called when Link just glanced away.

Link sighed and stepped past Zelda, gesturing for them all to follow. "Let's go talk this over with Sheik. I'll tell you everything then, Zelda."

* * *

"I don't believe it..." the blonde girl murmured when she had heard the story. Sheik's eyes were narrowed thoughtfully, and he tapped his knee with one finger. Both had listened with increasing concern in their eyes as Link and her twins conveyed the shocking events that had just happened - leaving out the part where Vaati kissed her.

Link waited for a few moments, shifting impatiently, then blurted out, "I have to go get the Master Sword." Her pent-up energy and frustration to go save Vaati and the others had only doubled after her encounter with him. She already had a good idea of where it was - 'the Yiga's main hideout, which had a sister location they'd been to' - did he mean Karusa Pawn? In which case, she needed to search Karusa Valley, out near the Gerudo Desert. Knowing the Yiga, it couldn't be that hard-

Sheik held up his hand and shook his head. "First, Link, calm down. I understand your desire to keep Vaati by your side, and I believe I understand his desire to protect you, but you are both letting your emotions get the better of you. Ghirahim is clearly playing off of that." He lowered his hand, tapping his knee once again. "I don't know exactly how Ghirahim managed to get that deal with Vaati, but the fact is that he's controlling both of your actions. Whether or not the Master Sword is where he says it is, you'd be playing exactly the way he wants you to."

"It can't be there..." Zelda murmured. When the two others looked at her, she bit her lip. "The Master Sword is the bane of evil... so it shouldn't be possible for someone evil to just take it, even if it wasn't sealed away..."

"You have a point. But it was definitely gone." Link thought back to the brief tour she'd been given of the castle, including the vault, prior to the ball. Enshrined within a glass case, the Master Sword had been stored in its own special vault at the very back, clear to see. She had returned to see the glass shattered and the sword very much absent.

Zelda shook her head. "My father once said something strange about the Master Sword in the vault on one of our visits. Something like, it looked convincing, and that the other one was still in its original spot under the castle..." She lifted her blue eyes to meet Link's seriously. "If the one you saw was only a replica, then anyone could steal it. But then that means the real one is still in Hyrule Castle, with Ghirahim."

"Seriously?!" Vio exclaimed. "Oh for Hylia's sake..."

"A replica?" Sheik repeated, frowning. "This is news to me. However, it does seem likely. If the replica were stolen, and the thieves found out it was fake, they wouldn't look in the same place again."

"The question is," Link murmured, "does Ghirahim know if it's a fake?"

"If he does, then going to the Yiga hideout is definitely a trap. If he doesn't..." The Sheikah agent's red eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward, looking at each twin individually. "Either way, the Yiga hideout is almost certainly a trap, yet we do need to find the Master Sword. Meanwhile, Impa, Aveil, and Vaati need to be rescued."

Link saw the way he analyzed each twin, and her eyes began to light with excitement. "We should split up."

Sheik nodded. "With the four of you, we can tackle most of the problems at the same time. You would still need to be prepared for whatever trap Ghirahim has planned for you at the Yiga hideout."

"I think I know of something that could help!" Zelda offered. "There are some spells..."

As they discussed their plan, hope lit in Link's heart again. Ghirahim may think they were dancing to his tune, but he'd soon find out not to mess with the Hero and her colleagues. She would rescue everyone and put that demon in his place.

* * *

"I think this is going to work!" Blue chattered energetically as the twins returned to their room. She slung an arm over Red and Link's shoulders. "What about you, Red?"

The calm twin nodded seriously, a small confident smile on her face. "I think so too. We'll have to be careful, but if we get everything prepared right... it should work."

Link was about to agree, but suddenly Vio whipped around, halting the three in their tracks and leaning her face up close to Link's. "Now that all the heroic-y stuff is planned, we have something to discuss. Don't we, Link?" She tapped Link on the nose.

"That..." she said reluctantly. "Maybe we should talk about that, I don't know... after we rescue Vaati?" For some reason, the thought of it made her nervous.

Red shook her head. "Before you come face to face with him again, there's something you need to sort out with yourself. Whether he intended to or not, he's made his feelings mostly known."

"And now it's your turn to figure out what your feelings for him are!" Blue joined.

"When you see him again, are you going to have to reject his feelings?" Vio asked, quite seriously. "Or do you return his feelings? You have to think carefully about what you'll do, and how it'll affect him. Cuz, y'know, rejecting the Wind Mage could get kinda scary."

Link leaned back against the wall with a sigh. "I didn't say I was going to..." she murmured vaguely. "I mean, we don't even know for sure if he feels... _that_ way about me."

She got a solid flick on the forehead from Vio for that. "Oh, come on! He's kissed you twice already!"

"But he thinks I'm a guy..."

"All the more reason to assume it's not just platonic."

"Is it a bad thing?" Blue piped up.

"N-no... I mean... I don't know!" stammered Link in reply. Her face was growing hot.

Vio cleared her throat and straightened, putting her hands on her hips. "Alright, Link. I know you don't like talking about your love life, but I'm the part of you that actually listened to everything Aveil taught you, so listen up! I now present the case for Link's feelings for Vaati!" She pointed at her almost accusingly. "First! Let's compare it with your crush on Sheik when you were younger.

"It all started with your first kiss, a special kind of training that Aveil thought up to prep you for field missions and stuff. She forced Sheik to be your partner. You never got past just that first simple kiss cuz you totally freaked out, but Sheik was super nice, and you fell for him kinda quickly. Especially after seeing his combat skills." Vio waggled her eyebrows as Link tried to bury her burning face in her hands. "Because you were so nervous and excited around him, you kept making mistakes. Eventually Impa got fed up with it and basically told you to get over your crush on him. And there went your first love... mostly."

"It sounds pathetic when you put it like that," Link murmured through her fingers. "We got along well before all that, you know."

"Now, to compare it with Vaati," Vio continued as though she hadn't heard Link at all, clearly enjoying telling these stories. "You thought he was attractive at first sight, but found it easy to tease him and even flirt with him. As time went on, you became real friends. And then best friends! Pretty normal. Except for when you rushed headlong to save him from Ghirahim and endangered yourself. And when you cried when Vaati found out you're a Sheikah agent. And then that time you were sick and super lonely, and just seeing Vaati made you feel a hundred times better. And when you danced together and felt nervous and shy. And finally! When he came back from the castle, safe and sound, and you hugged him and cried. Slightly different from being friends, dontcha think?"

Red raised a hand. "I'll say this as well. You usually know when you _don't_ feel that way about someone, Link. You've had your share of guys and even girls you've had to reject, and although it was awkward, you clearly knew your answer. So the fact that you can't clearly say you don't feel that way towards him is something in and of itself."

"You guys think I...?" Link murmured softly.

"I'm pretty sure he's more than a friend to you," Vio affirmed. Blue nodded as well. "Maybe not super-in-love, but... he's pretty much the most important person to you, isn't he?"

Blue grabbed Red and Vio's arms. "C'mon, let's give her time to think about it. You just have to figure it out before you see him again, Link. Good luck!" She pulled her twins away with her, leaving Link alone in the hall.

She ruffled her hair and let out a sigh. Her twins knew exactly how hard this kind of thing was for her, and yet they'd just dumped all that on her and left. ...Then again, she'd probably do the same thing in their place. They were her, after all.

It was confusing first of all to think that Vaati had romantic feelings for her. She'd be surprised and confused even if it wasn't directed towards her - she'd just never expected him to fall in love or anything. Her stomach did funny things when she thought of that phrase, 'fall in love'. Did he really... love her? He'd kissed her and all that, so the evidence pointed towards it-

The blonde shook her head violently. That wasn't the question right now. The question was whether or not she felt the same. Link groaned. Last time she'd fallen for someone, Aveil had had to flat-out declare to her that what she was feeling was romantic attraction. For some reason, Link had been very reluctant to admit anything of the sort. She was feeling a sense of deja vu now. That struggle to deny her emotions made it almost hard to breathe.

She just wanted Vaati with her. She wanted to stay together, to beat Ghirahim together and keep rooming together at the Academy and go out on weekends together. She wanted to help him prove to everyone, including himself, that he was a great person - not an evil mage. She wanted to tease him and make him show all those uncomfortable, frustrated expressions that made her smile. She wanted to nap on his shoulder and maybe dance again.

Every little thing... She just wanted to continue forward with him by her side. Was that love?

Link thought about what it would be like without him, and her heart tightened painfully. Memories of that day in the hotel came back: the worry and fear that evil was coming and would take everyone away from her, the loneliness as she kept thinking of things to tell Vaati but realizing he wasn't there. She'd been alone many, many times on her missions. Early on, she had struggled with being apart from Impa. Now, though, it was perfectly normal to be on her own a majority of the time. And yet, she hadn't been able to escape the feeling that Vaati was _missing_. Not just gone for a while, but that this important piece of her life and routine was missing, and she needed it to keep on living.

These past two days, the feeling had returned with painful clarity: she couldn't function not knowing when she'd see Vaati again. Was that love as well?

She needed to see him again. If she could see him face to face, then she'd find her answer.


	37. Chapter 36

A/N: This chapter took so long because 1) life 2) I knew what was going to happen, but not how I should write it for maximum deliverance of plot and all that. I declare this satisfactorily good enough. And 3) I'm thinking of starting a new fanfic! I recently completed a really good game, and I've been buzzing with ideas about it. You'll probably be seeing the first chapter soon!

Pineapple: I feel slightly bad for emotionally wrecking you... but only slightly X3

Guest: omg, that song fits Vaati so well!! Thanks for sharing - I love finding character/story music!

Thank you to Eien Dark for following!

* * *

Chapter 36

One week. The news buzzed across Hyrule of the demon who had captured the castle, and of the miraculous rescue of most of the guests. But everyone wondered: what exactly did the demon want? Eyewitnesses claimed he could teleport out of thin air; he'd kidnapped Zelda Nohansen, and made demands for the Hero to turn himself in as well. What would happen if his demands were not met? Nothing set foot outside the castle. The government was too timid to attempt to take it back. Hyrule held its breath as the days passed by. A demon... the Princess... and the Hero... the country's peace had been broken by the return of its oldest curse. What calamity awaited them?

* * *

"I pray this will aid you on your journey." The Great Fairy blew on her hand gently, and a shower of sparkling green dust floated down over the blonde standing in front of her. "Know that departing from a battle does not mean a lack of courage. Use this power to protect yourself and those dear to you."

The blonde youth bowed her head deeply. "Thank you. I will use it wisely."

* * *

The sparkles of blue sprinkling over her felt cool, yet rather than making her feel a sense of calm, she felt a sense of strength, like nothing could knock her over. Opening her blue eyes, the blonde smiled broadly. "Thank you, Great Fairy. This will definitely come in handy."

Nodding, pink ponytails swishing, the fairy waved a gentle goodbye. The blonde thought she heard something whispered as she left, but when she turned around, the fairy had already vanished.

* * *

"Awh, only if you promise to visit again, darling," the Great Fairy winked.

To her amusement, the blonde girl winked back. "Anytime! Well, when I'm not saving the world, that is."

With a giggle, the fairy held out her hand, red spots of glittering light floating from her palm and gently flowing over the youth. "I'll hold you to it... Hero."

* * *

She was spotted immediately. An arrow went whistling by her ear, embedding itself with a solid thunk into the stone wall behind her. A warning shot. She scanned the area carefully, but with the way the red sandstone canyon walls curved, it was difficult to see much. Still, she proceeded with blue eyes narrowed. If this was indeed the Yiga hideout, it wouldn't be long before more arrows headed her way.

Short, squat statues that resembled Sheikah Gossip Stones began to dot the path. The Sheikah symbol, however, on every statue was covered with a cloth, and on the cloth was painted the red upside-down Yiga marker. She was most definitely getting close.

"Took you long enough." The blonde tensed at the voice, which echoed disconcertingly off of the walls, making it difficult to pinpoint the sound's origin. "Master Ghirahim was beginning to think you'd just flat-out given up. But we all know you aren't the type. Right, Link Forrester?"

Wait. The voice was familiar. And they knew her cover name from the Academy? "Hey, Tiv!" she called out, letting her face slip into an easy grin. "Long time no... hear? Been wondering what happened to you!" She turned in a slow circle, still scanning. Another arrow whizzed by; she froze in place. "Not exactly the touching reunion I'd imagined."

"This is quite close to how I'd imagined it." Yet another arrow. She couldn't tell where they were coming from, not yet.

The blonde advanced carefully, on high alert, freezing or ducking slightly every time Tiv sent a projectile her way. "Guess you weren't kidding about being second place in the Gerudo Archer's Guild, huh?" One arrow nicked her shoulder, just barely enough to draw blood. She glanced at the cut. "But I have to tell you something about me..."

There was a startled cry as a rock shattered against the top of the sandstone wall. The blonde lowered her slingshot, smirking in satisfaction. "...and that's that I've got mad slingshot skills. Found ya!"

A moment of silence passed; then Tiv, face hidden under a Yiga mask, stood up from her hiding spot, looking down at the blonde. "You won't get far with a slingshot," she said in a derisive tone. "You'll be dead before you can deal any real damage."

She got a confident smile in return. "Thanks for the advice! Are you going to let me through, or are we gonna continue this game of hide-n-seek?"

The expression behind the Yiga's mask could only have been a disgusted frown, judging by her voice. "This was your warning to leave. If you want the Master Sword, you will have to fight for your life. We won't hesitate to try to kill you."

"Eh, same old, same old," the blue-eyed girl shrugged. "You guys haven't killed me yet, and you've had years to do it! The Master Sword is as good as mine." Her grin grew.

With an annoyed tsk, Tiv held up one hand, two fingers pointed up, and vanished into smoke. The blonde's grin faded somewhat. _How_ did they do that?! She'd always wondered...

She turned back to the winding path that led deeper into the canyon. Sticking her slingshot into her back pocket, she rolled her shoulders and trotted forward. The walls gradually grew closer, the path narrowing. Soon she could only see a line of the blue sky overhead. Her steps slowed as she approached the end of the path -- a doorway cut into the sandstone wall.

The blonde inched through the door, pausing to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. It was a cavern of sorts, though the walls were too straight and even to be natural. Below, paths had been widened and smoothed around pillars of sandstone, creating almost a maze that could only be seen clearly from the high point near the entrance. A few lights on the walls shone dimly, casting strange shadows in the maze.

It was oddly empty of any Yiga agents, despite being their main hideout.

She kept her eyes open for traps -- tripwires, switches, cameras -- but other than the occasional harmless security camera, nothing nefarious lay in her path. That only served to make her even more cautious. There had to be _some_ sort of trap... The maze through the cavern continued without any danger. A suspicious banana caught her eye, and she glared at it for a full thirty seconds before deeming it innocent.

What would she find at the end? The Master Sword, protected by the whole of the Yiga clan? Or perhaps surrounded by lethal booby traps? Or would Ghirahim himself be waiting? She felt her heart constrict for a moment - would Vaati be there?

She came at last to a door. Testing the knob gently, she found it was not locked, nor did it seem to be weighted or attached to a string that would activate a trap as soon as she stepped through. There were no cracks between the door and the frame, so she couldn't peek through to try to get a glimpse of what lay on the other side. Fingers held close to the hilt of her sword, the blonde turned the knob, backing as she pulled in open.

The sandstone canyon greeted her. The walls now were curved about in a great circle, however, not like the narrow path from before. Just a small opening above let light filter down into the area. In the center of the dome was what appeared to be a hole, though from where she was standing, she couldn't tell how deep it was.

This area was not empty.

"Master Ghirahim said to prepare a trial for the Hero," Tiv stated. She stood just in front of the hole, staring at the blonde from behind her mask. "We are fond of traps and trickery, but that has never stopped the Hero. Actually, I think it only fueled their love of puzzles..." she muttered. "So, I proposed a simple trial: defeat the Yiga Clan, and the Master Sword is yours."

The blonde raised a hand like she was a kid in class. "Um, isn't that, like, a little unfair? How many of you are there, anyways? I could take on 20, maybe."

"Then you'll have your hands full, won't you?" Tiv snickered. "You will have to defeat 50 of us, maybe more. One by one."

Her stomach twisted a little. So it was to be in the ancient style of battle - one on one, until either the enemy army was defeated, or the lone warrior fell. That would be pushing the limits of her endurance. At least she wouldn't have to tackle them all at the same time... She covered up her unease with a confident grin. "I accept your challenge! Will there be any audience today to witness the Hero take on his biggest challenge yet? No?"

There was a metallic shing from above, and she snapped her head up. Up on the rim of the hole in the dome's ceiling stood two familiar figures: one pale and with a bright red cloak, the other staring down at her with one red eye not hidden behind purple bangs. Her breath caught for a moment, her eyes seeking out her friend's gaze. But she couldn't decipher the stony expression he wore.

"We would not possibly miss out on such an opportunity," Ghirahim purred, leaning forward to smirk down at the blonde. "I wish to see the Hero at last prove his strength. Don't you feel a tingle, just imagining the overwhelming odds he is about to face?" He turned his dark eyes to Vaati. "Come now, no need to hide your excitement."

The Wind Mage looked away. She thought she saw him clench his fists. He muttered something that she couldn't hear clearly.

"Don't worry, Vaati!" she shouted up to him, ignoring the demon lord completely. He glanced down at her. She grinned. "I have something to talk with you about after all this, so I kinda have to survive and all that!" Vaati's eyes widened slightly when she winked at him and blew a kiss. Then she turned back to Tiv.

"Alright! Bring it on!!"

The Yiga nodded. She disappeared into smoke, only to be replaced with another Yiga, rushing towards the blonde. The sunlight glinted off the wickedly spiked sickle in the agent's outstretched hand. She quickly drew her sword and blocked the first strike. If she was going to get through 50 of them, she was going to need to end each fight as quickly as possible.

She disarmed him with a hit to the wrist, immediately following up with a powerful kick to his stomach. While he was reeling, she swung the hilt of her sword into his temple. He collapsed.

"Well, that was too easy!" she boasted. She turned her head up to grin at her audience. "Hey, Vaati! Did you see that?"

He was squinting at her, like he was confused. Her mouth twitched as she fought back a too-wide smile. Was she giving it away? Well, as long as Ghirahim didn't find out, it didn't matter.

While she was boasting over her victory, another Yiga appeared to her right. He didn't take her by surprise, though; as soon as his sickle swung towards her, she was ducking and rolling out of the way. This agent, too, she quickly incapacitated, and move right to the next one. It was her favorite dance: to see her opponent's movements and instantly compose her counterpart -- ducking, blocking, kicking, hitting, sidestepping. Her heart beat a rhythm in her ears that she moved to. It all felt so fluid and natural. And, boy, the adrenaline high was crazy.

The blonde spun around, ready for the next Yiga to appear and continue the dance. Her blue eyes squinted. No one was appearing. The racing of her heart was suddenly too loud when she could only stand still. Confused, she turned her gaze up to the two men watching her.

Vaati's eyes met hers, only to suddenly widen. He didn't say anything, but it was enough for her to realize.

Instinctively she leaped back. An arrow thudded into the ground where she'd been just seconds ago. Her eyes snapped up to the Yiga across the arena, holding a strangely curved bow. So it was long-range fighting now? She smirked and pulled out her slingshot from her back pocket.

" _Link_!"

The distressed cry jerked her from her focus on the Yiga. She looked up -- and in that same moment felt several deep, sharp pains in her back. She staggered forward, falling to one knee with a pained cry. Her mind filtered through questions quickly: How bad were the wounds? - Not too deep to be life-threatening. How'd she get attacked? - Ha, so much for no trickery; it was clearly a surpsise attack from behind. What was the best course of action? - Time to use one of her secret weapons.

She gritted her teeth against the pain and stood, throwing a look behind her at the four Yiga agents standing there. She could feel blood staining the back of her shirt. Thankfully, the thick material of her combat clothes had minimized the damage, but every movement still sent shocks of pain.

"This isn't what we agreed on!" Vaati shouted. He was facing Ghirahim, eyes bright with anger.

The demon seemed completely unfazed by Vaati's wrath. "I promised that _I_ would not hurt him. I said nothing about what my servants may do. Unlike you, I keep my word, Wind Mage. You let him know just now about that surprise. Tsk tsk."

"'Tis only a flesh wound!" the blonde called, now fully on her feet. "I expected some tricks, so I prepared a few of my own! Now, how do I do this exactly... Oh, right!"

She widened her stance, pulling her arms back almost like she was holding a baseball bat, then lifted her left hand skyward. A bright blue light burst to life in her palm with a shimmering sound. Grinning, she stood there as the light glowed brighter, transforming into a diamond-shaped barrier around her. "Nayru's Love!" she shouted. "And this time it's not me swearing, even though these arrows are seriously hurting right now!"

She could see Vaati and Ghirahim staring down at her in shocked disbelief. But then the Wind Mage just smiled, shaking his head, as though it wasn't actually that much of a surprise to him.

Oh yeah. This was going to make the fight a whole lot easier.

The blonde whipped around to the Yiga who were still holding their bows at the ready. She knocked one down with her slingshot before they could react. The arrows they shot at her simply shattered against the magic barrier protecting her. Not that she could see their eyes - or rather, the fear in them - but by the way they instantly scattered after another one of their comrades was knocked out by her slingshot, she was pretty sure she'd inspired at least a little panic among their ranks.

Or maybe not that much, because they reappeared before too long. This time, two rushed at her to engage in close-range attacks, while one hung back with his bow. The girl focused on just one of the two, blocking his attack like usual with her sword. Her back was left exposed - but not vulnerable, as the other agent quickly found out. His sickle clashed against Nayru's Love, no matter how hard he struck.

There was nothing they could do against her, not as long as the spell lasted and blocked every single attack the agents threw at her. She was back in the dance again. At one point, she stopped and completely ignored her opponents to shoot a wildly excited grin up at Ghirahim and Vaati. The demon looked mildly murderous, while her friend watched with his mouth slightly open - in awe, she hoped.

Even with the shield, however, her stamina was slowly but surely running out. The arrows, still embedded in the muscles of her back, burned as she fought, blood and sweat making her shirt stick to her skin. The magic to cast Nayru's Love, too, had taken a toll. Had she defeated 50 yet? Her attacks grew sluggish, and she had to stop for breath.

"How many has that been, now?" she heard the too-calm voice of Ghirahim musing above her. "Nearly 50. I must say, I am quite impressed. But for the Hero, this must be too easy of a challenge. Why not try 50 more?"

She had a feeling it wasn't going to end at 50. The blonde lowered her sword. "Guess my turn's about up."

The blue magic of Nayru's Love around her gradually dissipated. She pulled her hands back as though to cast it again, but this time she swung both arms in a circle in front of her chest, then lifted them up. A round wall of green light shone around her now.

"See ya later, Vaati!" she called with a wink. And then she vanished.


	38. Chapter 37

A/N: Guys, I just realized... The Best Lies has been going on for a little over a year now. Is the end in sight?

...hahahaha.

Also, don't know if I mentioned this before, but if there's ever a long delay between updates, check out my profile. Chances are I've posted up a reason for the lack of new chapters. As always, thank you for your patience! Moving is a pain.

Okyaku-san: yay, you figured out the tag teaming! I pointedly avoided saying the name of which Link that was, and I wondered if anyone would figure it out.

Pineapple: Ghirahim is evil, and good at being evil XP As for Link... well, please read on.

* * *

Chapter 37

"Guess my turn's about up," Link grinned. Except Vaati wasn't so sure anymore that it was Link. His suspicions only increased when the blond winked at him. That carefree, flirtatious attitude... "See ya later, Vaati!" The green magic of Farore's Wind surrounded him, whirling around him until he vanished, just like Vaati's teleportation.

He felt something dark next to him, and he turned his gaze just enough to look at Ghirahim. Anger was rolling off of the demon lord in visible clouds of dark magic, his eyes narrowed to slits. Vaati smirked. About time someone showed up that arrogant jerk.

He'd wondered why Link had made absolutely no attempt to retrieve the Master Sword, or rescue them from Hyrule Castle. Nothing for an entire week. Ghirahim had been more bothered than even Vaati; when he heard that Link was finally moving towards Karusa Valley, he had immediately grabbed the Wind Mage, eyes glittering with gleeful anticipation. Vaati hadn't doubted that the demon lord had _some_ sort of trick up his sleeve. It looked like Link had been expecting it as well - that week must have been all in preparation for this.

"Very clever," Ghirahim muttered as Farore's Wind continued to spin in its mini-tornado of magic. It wasn't long before someone materialized there once again: another Link.

He turned his blue eyes up to Vaati and Ghirahim. A calm, confident smile was on his lips. "You're not the only one who knows how to strategize." His hair was blond, just like the Link before, but if Vaati had to guess... This one was Red, and the first one had been Vio.

More Yiga agents appeared, and Red immediately cast Nayru's Love, launching into an aggressive offensive against them, attacking before they could really attempt to strike. As the arena gradually became cluttered with unconscious Yiga, they started to retreat, disappearing when Red injured them even the slightest.

"What do these fools think they are doing?" Ghirahim hissed. He snapped his fingers, and a diamond barrier appeared around Red, blocking him off from the Yiga. "I see that I've underestimated you yet again. The Hero deserves a worthy opponent, not these worthless grunts."

Red lowered his sword, narrowing his eyes up at the man. "And when do you plan on giving me the Master Sword? After I defeat every single last Yiga?"

"Impatient, are we? I cannot simply hand it to you without proof of your worth as a Hero. But we will leave this tedious kind of test behind..." He snapped his fingers once more, and the arena cleared. "I will have you fight one last opponent. Defeat him, and I will give you the sword."

Red did not say a word, just widened his stance, ready for this final challenge. The door he had come through earlier opened, and he quickly turned. Vaati saw the blond's eyes widen slightly, then narrow. It was another Yiga agent, but this one wore a unique mask. It was the smooth, white oval mask emblazoned with the red Yiga symbol like everyone else's, but he sported three curved, flamelike horns on each side of the mask. He was tall, too, with black hair tied up in a warrior's knot and sets of knives dangling from his hips.

"I didn't expect to see you out of jail again already, Kohga," Red called. He was shifting the handle of his sword in his grip repeatedly. "It's becoming a chore, catching you time after time."

The man called Kohga stood still, cocking his head after a moment. "Ah, it's _you_. Yes, I did not expect to run into you again so soon. We really must stop meeting like this."

Vaati watched closely. If he didn't know better, Red was nervous. It seemed as though Kohga had clashed with Link several times before, and that Link was responsible for locking him away.

"I didn't recognize you at first in that disguise," Kohga continued with a shake of his head. Then he pointed at Red. "But a Yiga cannot mistake those blue eyes. So you've taken to dressing as a man, you Sheikah she-wolf?"

Red grew completely still. Vaati frowned, glancing first at Kohga, then Red, then Ghirahim. The demon was staring intently at the blonde with narrowed eyes and one hand resting on his chin. He... hadn't misheard, had he?

"So is that what you guys have been calling me?" Red finally returned. "There are worse titles."

"There are. For instance, a stolen one." Taking a few steps forward, Kohga raised his hands, palms up. "Such as the _Hero_. You think you can fool the world?"

The twin was moving his sword again, blue eyes flickering. They briefly met Vaati's searching gaze, and the Mage saw panic slowly cracking through Red's usual calm armor. His own heart was beating too loudly. Vaati was missing something; what Kohga was implying... it couldn't be what he thought.

Red spoke softly. "...No. And that was never our intention. We're just doing what we have to in order to protect everyone. But sometimes it does the opposite... doesn't it?" He turned his head up, looking directly at Vaati.

Ghirahim hummed loudly, ending with a chuckle. "I see! So that is how it is! Oh, you are quite skilled with your lies. How delicious! It seems our Hero is not a Hero at all, but rather a Heroine. I was so confused for the longest time over why you were so weak... Now I see!" Red's eyes cut to Ghirahim, flashing, but he ignored the blonde, turning to Vaati with a smug smirk. "I wonder if you feel relieved right now, knowing your _dear_ friend was not a man? Or is that the feeling of betrayal making your fists curl so tightly?"

"I don't want to hear it from you," Vaati snapped at Ghirahim. But the demon was right - his hands were clenched, heart thumping. This... this was one lie gone too far. He turned his eyes back down to Red. _Just deny it. Say_ something _to defend yourself._

But Red shook his... _her_ head. "I won't lie more and say that they are wrong. But now isn't the time for this." She snapped her eyes to Kohga, raising her sword defensively. "We need to settle this, once and for all."

Kohga chuckled behind his mask. "Let this be our final encounter, fierce one."

He wasted no more time. The Yiga crouched, then leaped into the air, disappearing and then reappearing high above Red. Vaati's eyes widened when Kohga made a sign with his hands and two large boulders materialized in the air with him in response. They went hurtling towards Red. The twin scrambled away just in time to avoid being ground to dust.

Vaati followed the fight with his eyes as Kohga alternately sent boulders and knives after Red, and as she ran, ducked, and rolled to escape the attacks. But he felt strangely detached from the battle itself. More and more, he just looked at Red, at her hair pulled up in a tiny ponytail, at her slender figure, at her blue eyes and the soft curve of her cheeks. He'd never questioned Link's gender, had never had any reason to. He himself had been called feminine more times than he could count, and Link was one of those people who could easily pass for either gender. He'd just trusted that she was who she said she was.

Maybe he was a bit baffled and also impressed at how she had hidden it so perfectly from her own roommate. Maybe he was a bit relieved that he didn't have to question his sexuality anymore. Mostly, though, Vaati could only ask - had she planned to ever tell him the truth?

"You're missing the action, Wind Mage." Ghirahim's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. The demon smirked. "Having difficulties accepting the truth? Do you perhaps need... _physical_ proof? Oooh, no need to glare so. I am only offering to help you."

"You can keep your so-called help to yourself," Vaati growled.

The pale-haired man hummed, casting his dark eyes down on the arena. "If you insist. It looks as though our Heroine could benefit from some assistance, however..."

He refocused his attention, breath catching when he saw how the fight had progressed. Spatters of blood were smeared on the sandy ground, droplets falling from Red's right shoulder, her blood-streaked arm hanging limply at her side. Kohga was still airborne (how was he doing that?).

"It feels like you're holding back, she-wolf," the Yiga called, propping one elbow on his hand and tapping his mask as though thinking. Two boulders revolved around him like the needles of a clock. "Where is the fire in your eyes? Where is that wild energy my agents fear? I would be disappointed to win without you landing a single blow."

Red said nothing. Why wasn't she protecting herself with Nayru's Love? Then Vaati realized - she must only have a limited amount of magical energy. She'd already cast Farore's Wind to get here, and then used Nayru's Love while fighting the onslaught of Yiga members. If she planned to switch, then she'd have to save her energy. Why didn't she switch now, though?

Kohga shook his head and flicked his fingers towards her. The boulders flew forward one at a time. Red rolled out of the way of the first one, but the second one crashed down right in front of her, throwing her onto her back. Heart hammering, Vaati could only watch as Kohga summoned a huge rock right above the collapsed girl.

She wasn't moving. They all waited for her to move. But she just stared up at the rock, chest visibly heaving with each breath she took. Her blue eyes were hard and without fear.

Red was the fighter - why wasn't she fighting?! Fear seeped in as Kohga lifted the boulder higher. Vaati wanted to shout at her to move, to get up, to _fight_! If Red died, what would that do to Link? He didn't want to find out. And that was why, when Kohga finally dropped the boulder, Vaati's restraint snapped.

He summoned a blast of wind to push the rock out of the way. He felt the air respond to his call and fly towards the boulder. Suddenly, however, the power in the wind was cut off, and at the same time, the bracelet around Vaati's wrist turned burning hot. He hissed in pain, grabbing at it only to pull his hand back, stung sharply by the painful heat of the metal. The diamond gem, which had been white before, was now glowing red.

He glanced at the demon next to him, who was staring at him pointedly, and realization made him clench his fists. This wasn't just a bracelet to keep track of him, was it? Of course Ghirahim would have made sure Vaati couldn't use his magic. He saw the glow fade from the gem as the heat also dissipated.

Ghirahim suddenly cursed something in a language he didn't recognize. Vaati snapped his head up, remembering the danger Red was in. The arena was cloudy with dust. Had the boulder smashed into the ground hard enough to shatter? Gradually, it settled. Relief made Vaati's shoulders relax. There were two Links - Red, still lying on the ground, and either Blue or Link standing above her, sword raised high.

"Thank Hylia for a nearly unbreakable sword," the new Link coughed, lowering the Four Sword. She looked up at Vaati with a sad smile. "Hi, Vaati. Sorry you had to find out this way."

Red rolled over and pushed herself up with one hand, coughing. "Fight now, talk later," she grimaced.

"Yeah... and I guess I'm not the one he needs to talk to, anyway." So this was Blue. She sheathed her sword, and Vaati noticed for the first time that a bow and a quiver full of arrows were strapped to her lower back. "Kohga! I'm here to even the playing field. It's not fair to fight with fancy toys against a girl with only a sword." Blue whipped out her bow - a strangely double-curved wooden one - and knocked two arrows into it. "Excuse me while I use your own fancy tools against you!"

She snapped back the string and shot at the man. Kohga quickly raised his hands, summoning a blue shield of magic which the arrrows shattered against. "Since when did _you_ have magic?" she complained, already grabbing more arrows.

"Lord Ghirahim generously unlocked my magic. It simply took a little practice after that." As he spoke, the masked man summoned four large rocks, all circling around him, while still shielding himself. "I could ask you the same question, she-wolf."

Blue stood with her bow at the ready. When Kohga shot two of the rocks at her, she rolled out of the way, quickly coming to a kneeling position and firing her own attack. The Yiga had briefly lowered his shield when he attacked - Vaati wondered if it obstructed his view - and Blue had seized the opportunity. One arrow embedded itself in Kohga's shoulder, the other glanced off his mask, leaving a scrape.

She kept dodging to the left, until the were both facing the opposite way of when they'd begun. Red, still bleeding, was slowly moving to the edge of the arena, out of the way of the battle. Vaati saw her mutter something several times but it was impossible to hear what she said.

Blue was faring better than even Red had. She hadn't gotten so much as a scratch, though she was getting covered in sand and dust, turning her military green outfit a tan-gray color. Arrow after arrow found its mark. Kohga was beginning to throw his attacks quickly and wildly, clearly angry at this girl who would not sit still for a single moment. One projectile managed to knock Blue over, but she rolled immediately onto her stomach, jumping to her feet.

"Just... a little... longer!" she shouted between panting breaths. She fired, and the impact of the arrow on Kohga's mask split a crooked crack down the middle.

He snapped his hands up to hold it in place; in doing so, however, he seemed to lose his hold on the rocks floating around him. Vaati inhaled sharply as one of the boulders fell right onto Kohga's head. The Yiga howled, hunching over in pain, quickly beginning to sway. Blue simply stood, watching, as he seemed to lose consciousness. And then he plummeted. The hole in the center of the arena swallowed him; Vaati wondered how deep it was - he never heard a thud, though he strained his ears listening for it.

The Wind Mage turned his gaze to Blue. She was staring at the pit, eyes dark, no spark of joy in her face whatsoever. It was unlikely Kohga had survived. Vaati recalled how Link had shared about her choice not to kill; but now, it looked as though that vow had been broken.

There was a quick clapping of hands. Ghirahim lowered his hands, not smiling. "Well. It looks like playtime is over." He snapped his fingers, and a long metal box appeared in front of Blue. "Your prize, _Heroine_."

She only glanced at it briefly. Then she turned her face up to the two of them, smiling just a bit. "Thanks, but I already have one."

Vaati bit back an exclamation. What was she doing?! That was the Master Sword - the only thing that could defeat Ghirahim! The demon was perplexed as well.

"No...? Do you not understand, girl? I am granting you a chance. Without it, you can do nothing to save anyone. Do not reject a demon's generosity."

"Do not trust a demon's lies," she returned, smile growing more confident. Blue flipped open the top of the case, sheathing the Four Sword as she did so, and pulled the weapon resting inside. Vaati did not even have a chance to properly look at it - the next instant, it was hurtling in the air like a giant boomerang towards Ghirahim.

The demon automatically snatched it by the blade, not so much as flinching. He hissed. "You make light of me, do you?"

"The Blade of Evil's Bane shouldn't be able to be touched so easily by evil hands." Blue pointed at the sword in the demon's grip. "So how come you can hold 'the only weapon that can defeat you?'"

It dawned on Vaati at the same time Ghirahim's lids lowered, a smirk twitching at his lips. "...a fake," Vaati muttered. He snapped his eyes to the demon. "It was a fake all along?!" He swore. Blue was right - he should have never trusted a demon to keep his word.

He clicked his tongue at Vaati's exclamation but kept his focus on Blue. "I do not know how you found out, Heroine. Your society has forgotten so many of the old legends, I had thought you wouldn't have a clue, and come dancing willingly to your grave." He looked at the fake Master Sword in his hand, then tossed it away with a scoff. "Well, no matter. Fooled or not, your death will be just as quick."

Blue held up a hand like a stop sign. "You didn't listen to me earlier! Why do I need a fake Master Sword when Link is just about to grab the real one? Yup, that's right - this was all just a huge distraction!"

The air literally grew chill next to Vaati. Ghirahim stared at Blue, fury cracking his composure entirely. Without a word, he vanished in flash of diamonds.

Vaati looked back down at Blue, to see her gesturing for him to go. "Go back to the castle! Link is waiting for you! And don't worry about me and Red - we'll be fine." When he just stood there, still trying to process all the crazy stuff that had happened in the last hour, she waved both hands more frantically. " _Go_ , Vaati!"

He blinked and shook his head. Would he even be able to teleport? Tentatively, he reached for the wind, prepared to stop the moment his bracelet reacted. But nothing happened. Maybe Ghirahim was the one controlling when it blocked his magic and when it didn't. And right now, the demon was quite preoccupied elsewhere. With a nod to the two twins, Vaati summoned the wind to carry him back to Hyrule Castle.

He wondered what awaited him there.


	39. Chapter 38

A/N: HEY GUYS IM ALIVE

Sorry for the long, unexpected hiatus! Mostly, school started and I put my writing projects aside for a while. I've had a few rough spots but I have support from friends, family, and professionals, so I'm already in a lot better place for when things go downhill a bit. That said, it's been hard to write both because I'm out of the habit of writing and because I'm not always brimming with motivation. But I love this story too much to let it go!

I sorely wanted to deliver a larger chapter, but Christmas is approaching, so I thought that something is a lot better than nothing! This chapter is trimmed from what I imagined it to be - there was going to be a full fight but that'll be the next chapter! I've gotten out of practice with the characters, I hope they all sound alright...

Thank you to my new followers, and for everyone's patience! Now, let's get back to it!

* * *

Chapter 38

Victory was too often a short-lived feeling. And the crash afterward felt so much the worse for the high before it. Link tasted victory - from the updates her twins sent her periodically over their hidden comms, their diversion strategy was going stellar; her own mission to infiltrate the castle had gone without a hitch as well. It was simple enough: while Ghirahim was gone, sneak into the castle with as little ruckus as possible, free Impa, Aveil, Vaati, and anyone else being held prisoner (she'd hoped that Ghirahim would leave Vaati behind, but she'd also known he'd probably want to keep an eye on the Wind Mage at all times, in which case she'd just rescue him later), and then find the real Master Sword.

Nothing of note happened during Step One (Sneak In). It was during Step Two (Rescue Everyone) that she felt something strange. Impa was asking her what the next step was, and Link started to explain how the Sheikah should lead the few captive government workers out of the castle. Her words slowed to a stop, however, as an out-of-place feeling of dread settled in her stomach.

She whipped around, scanning the area, but it was still safe and clear. Just as suddenly as the feeling had come, it faded, leaving Link uncomfortable.

Her twins weren't telepathic - unfortunately; that would've been really cool! - but Link had noticed something in the weeks since she'd restored the Four Sword. Occasionally, she would just get a _feeling_ , an emotion that felt out of place. Sometimes it was a random desire to laugh or maybe the instinct to fight. Talking to her twins, she'd found out that strong emotions were able to resonate through all four of them. Their affinity had grown even stronger after receiving the Fairies' spells (according to the Great Fairies, though the twins were four separate physical bodies, they were one entity magically, and had a shared 'pool' of magic they could use; Link didn't fully understand it).

So this unsettled feeling - which twin was feeling it, and why? Now that she thought about it, she hadn't heard an update from any of them since Vio and Red switched. Link struggled to refocus on the mission at hand. She would have to find out later. For now, she and Aveil were going to the Master Sword's true chamber.

"Did _you_ know there was a fake?" Link asked the Gerudo as they descended towards the castle vault.

"Oh, I didn't _know_ , but I did know... you know?" Aveil's mischievous streak apparently hadn't been dampened by her time as a demon's prisoner. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, checking corners, then moved forward. "I unofficially know a lot of things. Such as the truth about the Master Sword."

Link shook her head, smiling. "You know, it's a good thing you're _unofficially_ on the Sheikah's side, or you might be on our wanted list for knowing too much," she teased.

Their light banter was interrupted when a voice cut over Link's comm. "This is Red." She was out of breath. "Blue is fighting Kohga right now."

Link froze. Kohga - he should be in prison! But it certainly wasn't the last time he had escaped. Was that what the feeling of dread had been about? But Link wasn't exactly _scared_ of Kohga, just incredibly cautious. Aveil stared at her questioningly. "Speaking of wanted lists... Kohga's on the loose again."

Her mentor's eyes flickered. She took a moment to reply. "His wanted status changed," the red-haired woman said slowly. Link didn't like how serious she was being. "It's no longer a capture or kill order. Capture isn't an option now."

Her meaning sunk in quickly, and Link looked down. The blonde had always avoided any targets with that description: kill on sight. She understood the reasoning behind assigning that; some people were simply too dangerous to be left alive. But she didn't ever want to be the one to take their lives. However, as a Sheikah, she - and her twins - didn't have any choice if they ran across one of those people: it was kill or be killed (or be punished by the Sheikah).

"Red, Blue, this is Link," she said quietly. "Kohga is... his assignment is kill-on-sight now."

There was a long moment of silence before either one replied. "Blue here - got it."

"There's something else," Red added. "Our last secret is out - Kohga recognized us. Vaati, Ghirahim... they know you're a girl now, Link."

All the blood drained from her face. Her stomach clenched, and she recognized that same feeling of dread from earlier washing over her again. She could see Aveil looking at her with some concern.

That secret - that was the one secret Link had decided she would never reveal. It wasn't even a conscious decision. She just knew too many things would unravel if it were found out. Her cover in future missions could be compromised; the validity of her claim as the Hero would be challenged; and Vaati's trust in her would be crippled - possibly forever.

"Link." Aveil's voice and hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her shock. "Not sure what just happened, but we're running a little short on time."

She stared at her a moment, then quickly nodded. "You're right. We're almost to the Master Sword." Hardening her eyes and steeling her heart, Link faced forward once more.

The two trotted quickly to the castle vault, which was still open, likely having been looted by the Yiga. There were two Yiga guarding the entrance. Link rushed at them and had one knocked out with a well-placed blow to the head before they could fully realize they were being attacked. Aveil swiftly brought down the other. Satisfied that no one had been alerted to the breach, the two women stepped inside the vault.

Link had had a glimpse inside the giant storage room back at the New Year's ball, but only briefly. Like then, her eyes roamed over all the cases, seeking out familiar artifacts, wondering at the ones she didn't recognize. It all looked surprisingly untouched. Not a single glass container was smashed, no crates opened with contents scattered. Only the faux Master Sword was missing from its resting place in a large glass display at the back of the vault. She trod slowly through. A case with several ocarinas; a golden harp; a strange rabbit mask; metal bracelets with the Goron symbol engraved on the wide band. So many artifacts. How many had belonged to Heroes past?

Link felt a sudden urge to pick one of the artifacts up, to see if she felt any connection. At the same time, her heart gave a painful twist. Did she really have the right to rank herself with the real Heroes? Her, a girl who had been lying to her closest friends as well as the world... could her actions truly be called heroic, courageous?

"Further on, I believe," her partner called. Link pulled her hand back to herself, refocusing on the Master Sword's display case.

"Is there a hidden chamber in here, do you think?" She cast her eyes along the walls, seeking any irregularity.

Aveil was trailing her fingers along the walls in search as well. "That's my guess. The only question is, will it be a modern lock or an older seal that only the Hero can open? You never know with these things."

Nodding, Link strode forward, scanning the vault. She came to a stop in front of the empty display case. It was the only case that had been opened, the glass door hanging ajar. The sword had been held up by a pole with hooks that now looked more like a coat tree without the legendary blade resting on it. Link glanced at the hilt of the Four Sword at her hip, recalling the stir of emotion she had felt the first time she saw it. What would she feel when she laid eyes on the Master Sword?

Nothing strange or suspicious appeared to be going on with the display, so she moved on, treading up and down the length of the vault. Aveil searched the very back. Link was beginning to get lost in admiring the artifacts once more when the Gerudo called out to her.

"Found something?" Link trotted quickly to the redhead's side.

Aveil pointed to the Hylian crest emblazoned on the wall. "Maybe, maybe not. Could just be decorative, could not be." She opened her mouth to continue, then paused, looking down at Link's hands. "Something bothering you?"

"Huh?" The blonde looked down, not even aware that she had been scratching at the back of her left hand. She rubbed the skin a last time and frowned. "It just suddenly started itching."

Aveil hummed. "I think that's a good sign. Let me look."

She took Link's hand when she offered it, somewhat reluctantly, and raised it up against the crest painted on the smooth marble wall. Link's fingers twitched - the itch quickly grew to a nearly maddening severity, burning like a rash. She grew still, however, when the burning on her skin turned to glowing.

"Well, would you look at that?" Aveil murmured, her words light but her tone betraying her awe.

Link herself was silent, eyes wide, fixated on the three triangles shining on her hand, the lower right one glowing brightest. She lifted only her eyes when the crest lit up in response to the symbol she bore. Her chest felt tight, her breath caught somewhere in her throat, her heart frozen for impossibly long.

A vertical seam began to appear in the center of the crest, running up and down to create the center of a doorway. There was a hiss of releasing air, and the wall slid open like an automatic glass door. Within they could see a long, gently lit hall.

"After you," Aveil nudged Link, whose hand was still half held up.

Clearing her throat and dropping her hand, Link took a deep breath, stepping forward. The hall was made of the same smooth marble as the rest of the vault, small blue-white lights illuminating their way. When they had gone several feet, the door slid closed behind them, prompting both of them to freeze for a moment.

"Must be to make sure no one but the right people get in..." Link murmured.

Her Gerudo partner nodded in agreement. They resumed their cautious walk down the hall. Link strained her eyes to see what awaited them at the end, but all she could see was a sudden darkness.

As they approached this darkness, however, more lights burst into life, illuminating a large chamber. The blonde halted once again.

The walls and floor were an even white marble, curving in a large round circle, the center carved into three steps climbing up to a pedestal. Link was aware of how serenely quiet it was. The tension from her shoulders eased and her heart calmed, as though the quiet were soothing her. When she let her blue eyes rest on the glinting blade of the sword in the center of the room, none of her nervousness remained. She knew that all her questions would be answered now. All she had to do was draw the sword from its pedestal.

Link took a quiet breath and stepped forward, her footsteps echoing softly. The Master Sword, unlike the Four Sword, was uncorrupted. Its silver blade glinted brightly, the Tri-Force engraved in the metal sharp and clear. The rich purple of its hilt was accented by a golden jewel and green leather wraps. As she came to stand in front of it, Link was struck by just how beautiful the sword was.

A thought nudged her that they didn't have much time. She broke out of her awe and took one more steadying breath. With both hands, she took hold of the Master Sword's grip. It was not as cold as she'd expected. Closing her eyes, Link slowly pulled the sword up, expecting resistance but feeling it move smoothly. Now her heart was racing again. Her eyes flashed open just as the tip of the sword left the pedestal.

She shifted the sword to just her left hand, holding it out in front of her, admiring the perfect length and weight of it. It just felt... right. Link was not usually one follow any religious superstitions, but she felt it appropriate this time to draw the sword close to her, head lowered as though in prayer, and then lift it skyward, whispering a thanks in her heart to Hylia. The blade shimmered as though in response to her, so quickly that she wondered if she imagined it.

Turning around, she saw Aveil smiling at her with such pride that Link had to struggle to hide the tears that suddenly grew in the corners of her eyes. Relief, pride, and strength seemed to fill every cell of her body.

The moment was broken by a voice in her ear. "Red here. Do you have the sword yet?"

Link hastened to reply. "Yes, I've got it! Are you guys alright?"

"Just... a little... longer...!" gasped out Blue.

"Kohga is almost down," Red clarified. "Be ready - once Ghirahim knows you've got the Master Sword, he's heading your way."

She looked at the sword in her hand, and the Four Sword still strapped to her hip. "Don't worry, I've got this."

* * *

The ballroom was still a mess of broken marble. Link paced the perimeter of the crater that the Gohma had made, wondering if the new sword she held would have done better in that fight. She kept shifting it in her palm. Aveil had found the sheath for it, so now she had one sheath on each hip, but she felt more confident with the Master Sword gripped in her hand.

Just as she was beginning to wonder if Ghirahim had figured out fighting her with the real Master Sword was probably a bad idea, she heard the distinct metallic _shing_ of his appearance behind her. Turning, she was met with eyes darker than she had ever seen.

"I concede. You have exceeded all of my expectations." The demon in front of her swept a hand, gesturing at the Master Sword. "Such a devious plan you created to gain that sword, _Heroine_. I must admit, I never saw the Hero as a particularly clever boy. Why use his wits, when his sword could do all the work? But you... your cleverness... oh, it _irks_ me." Ghirahim curled the fingers of one hand into a fist. The cold glint in his eyes made Link shift nervously. "It irks me that I must kill you, who could be such a useful pawn."

"You already know that that would never happen," Link replied icily.

The white-haired demon raised an eyebrow, beginning to pace slowly. "You are deliciously skilled at lying. The blood of many stains your hands, and you poise now, ready to stain your blade with yet more. I do not see much that makes you the pure and righteous _Hero_ and I, the villain."

Link paced parallel to him. The murder written in his black eyes was not fading in the slightest. Her own fighting spirit was sparking to life. "It's the _why_ that makes an action good or bad," she replied. "I'm not in this for my own gain. I just want to make sure you never touch any of my friends again."

"And I am merely the loyal servant of my master; yet you call me evil." Ghirahim snapped his fingers, summoning a black rapier to each of his hands. "Enough!" His voice rang out harshly. "You are correct. You will only ever be a particularly annoying training dummy to me. One that bleeds." His lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Don't think you've won just because you have a new fancy sword, Heroine."

The blonde drew the Four Sword in her right hand, matching the demon's two blades. Her eyes flickered to her left hand, recalling the symbol of the Tri Force which had glowed on her skin when she neared the Master Sword. This would be the true test. It was not the sword in her hand which made her a hero, she realized. It was what she did with it. Link brought her blue eyes back up to Ghirahim. What she did with it - she knew _exactly_ what she would do with it: Send this demon back to his master, once and for all.


	40. Chapter 39

A/N: So, there was supposed to be this big fight scene, but I just was not having a good time trying to write it for some reason, and it was preventing me from writing the rest of the chapter. I'm sorry if anyone was looking forward to the fight!

(This chapter has been revised)

* * *

Chapter 39

By the time Vaati appeared in the ballroom, the battle was decided. Link could feel the slow, warm trickle as blood ran down her forearm, felt the dull beating of her heart in the bruises all over. Her left hand gripped the Master Sword as though glued to it.

Across from her, Ghirahim was doubled over like an old man, clutching his side. The demon's skin had turned a terrifying onyx sometime halfway through their fight. His pale white hair and the whites of his eyes stood out in unsettling contrast. The Four Sword had ominously chipped against his black skin, though the Master Sword still seemed to damage him. More than seemed to-the groan he gave as he straightened up, eyes glaring at her murderously, was decidedly the sound of a man in pain.

She had only noticed Vaati's appearance because of the whispering sound of him teleporting. She glanced up at him where he stood at the top of the steps. His expression was impossible to decipher.

"I will admit," Ghirahim hissed, "you are a clever little girl. But you still lack the power to destroy me. One fancy sword is not enough." He tilted his head to leer at Vaati. "That bracelet does look so fabulous on you. I will allow you to keep it." With one final glare at Link, he ended, "Until next time," and vanished in a spiral of diamonds.

Link's shoulders slackened. Then she remembered that Vaati was there and all the tension immediately returned. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her gaze. He was steadfastly avoiding direct eye contact. She wracked her mind for the right words to say. Should she apologize? Say how glad she was to see him despite it all?

In the end, she settled for the best she could muster. "What now, Vaati?"

His red eyes flickered to her face before snapping back to the wherever in the distance he was focusing on. "You tell me," he muttered.

Before she could think of a reply, a voice crackled through in her ear. "Link, is everything alright?" Aveil hadn't checked in in a while, busy securing the rest of the castle while Link fought Ghirahim.

"All good," she replied quickly. "Ghirahim retreated. Vaati's here with me."

"Excellent! I'm about done cleaning house here too, and Impa said there are agents on their way. Meet me in the courtyard when you're ready to get out of here. And, Link-good job teaching that demon a lesson."

"Thanks." Link ghosted a smile when she turned her attention back to Vaati. "Aveil says the castle will be secure soon. We're meeting her in the courtyard."

Her friend shut his eyes, looking like he was physically in pain. "I can't go with you."

"What...? What do you mean?" She fought back the terrifying thought that he meant he didn't want to go with her; that he had finally had enough of her lies. The sudden fear surprised her with its intensity, and she forced it down. "Why-?"

Vaati lifted his hand, pointing to a golden bracelet encircling his wrist. Ghirahim's parting words came back to her when she saw the diamond set in the metal band. "He can track me with this thing," he explained, "and block my magic with it, too. If he wants to find you or Zelda again, he would just go where I am." He lowered his arm. "So. I can't go with you."

Twisting the Master Sword in her hand, Link started to pace. She'd just found Vaati again, only to find that he was still trapped by that demon. Link sheathed the sword and switched her comm channel. "Impa, we need your help."

Her voice came back immediately. "Is anything wrong?" Link quickly relayed the situation. "I see," the Sheikah replied calmly. "Vaati is correct; he cannot be anywhere that would compromise our security. There is no need to overthink it, however. We will not leave him on his own, by any means," she said, likely anticipating Link's objections. "Vaati can remain in the Castle and assist you, Aveil, and the other agents I sent for security. Link, you have the Master Sword, so should Ghirahim attempt to attack you, you can defend yourself. I will move Zelda to a new location and protect her."

"Got it..." she replied, casting a side glance at Vaati. She cleared her throat nervously to get his attention. "Impa said for us to stay here with Aveil and help get the Castle back in order. Ghirahim probably won't try to come back here, so it should be pretty safe."

"Fine," he said flatly.

When he just continued to stare into space as though ignoring everything, Link sighed and comm'd Aveil, giving her the update. She cringed when the Gerudo said something about "having the happy duo back together." Aveil still had no idea that Link's secret was out.

The distinctly unhappy duo made their way out to the courtyard. Only their footsteps echoed on the walk. Link wondered what Vaati was thinking as he followed her, totally silent. Her biggest secret was out, and judging by his behavior, Vaati wasn't happy with this new knowledge. Betrayal, discomfort, disgust... Which feelings were those she'd seen the few times their eyes met?

The silence must have been palpable because Aveil's triumphant smile dropped as soon as she spotted them walking up to where she and three Sheikah agents were standing. "Something happen?" she queried, brow furrowed.

Link shook her head minutely. "Tell you later. Is the Castle cleared?"

She could see Aveil's eyes sliding back and forth between the two, but she didn't pry for the time being. "Ninety-nine percent, I'd say. We have some Yiga agents tied up in the upper floors and our own agents on patrol for any stragglers. The couple hostages they were holding are being escorted back to their homes. Once we finish tidying up, some of the officials will move back in, but we'll stick around for extra security."

"What do you need us to do?"

"You need to patch that arm up," Aveil pointed to Link's blood-streaked arm. "And then find some quarters for us all to use." She paused a moment as though thinking. Then she added, "Vaati, you can help me out."

Link half-expected him to argue, but he just muttered, "Yeah, whatever." Aveil's lips pursed at his compliant response.

"Well, I'll meet up with you all later, then!" Link gave a quick salute, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. She pivoted and trotted back to the Castle.

She was grateful for Aveil quickly picking up on the atmosphere. Being around Vaati was low on her list of happy and exciting things to do. Worry wormed its way up through her from her fingertips, slinking towards her heart, as she thought about how quickly things had changed. But she sped up, running now through the empty halls before the worry could paralyze her. Later. Later, later, later.

She quickly patched up the gash on her arm in the nurse's office. Then she was trotting through the halls again. The Yiga had certainly made a mess of the grand building; every room she glanced into had been ransacked, drawers emptied onto the floor, desks flipped over, banana peels littered in the most random spots. Most of the rooms seemed to be government offices with desks, filing cabinets, printers, computers, and the like. She moved to the upper floors and found guest rooms, likely for visiting diplomats.

Link paused at the one labeled 'The Master Suite.' The door was decorated to mimic the blue, purple, and gold designs on the Master Sword. Curious, she tried to push open the door, but the doorknob only turned slightly. Locked. She was tempted to try to lockpick the door; other tasks were more important, however. "I'll be back for you," she told the room.

Finally, she found a pair of large guest rooms, each with two beds, easy to turn into living quarters for the time they needed. "Hey, Aveil, found a place to stay," she called, flopping onto one of the beds. "Fourth floor, the Din and Farore Suites."

"Sounds fancy," the Gerudo replied. "Claim the Farore Suite for us girls. I think you've earned the rest of the day off."

Link let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thanks, Aveil."

She lay on the bed for a few more moments. Then she rolled over, standing up and patting the dirt off her clothes, pausing when her hands brushed the hilts of the swords at her sides. Both the Master Sword and the Four Sword. She had to be one of the first Heroes to have two legendary swords at the same time.

The thought made her snort. She was also the first female Hero, the first to be working _with_ the Wind Mage, probably the first to be living as a spy. Currently crashing in the crashed Castle she couldn't save the first time, while her best friend was somewhere probably deciding whether or not he hated her guts.

What had her twins said? That she'd know how she felt about him when she finally saw him face to face again? So much for that, she sighed as she unstrapped the swords and set them by one of the beds. After Kohga revealed her secret, all her hopes had been overshadowed by fear. Fear that the look she'd see in his eyes would be of hate, disgust, betrayal. And while she couldn't identify exactly his feelings, she knew from his icy silence and the hardness of his eyes that her presence caused him pain.

And that hurt. It hurt more than when he was uncomfortable around her after he kissed her at the hotel. That pain had been the fear of things changing between them. This fear... It was more like the fear when Ghirahim had captured him. She didn't know then if she'd see him again. But this fear was worse. It was the fear of losing him, not because others forced them apart, but because Vaati himself chose to leave her.

Link took slow steps around the room. It was only early evening, but she felt as though she'd been awake for days without sleep. Her arm burned dully from the gash on it, her bruises aching with every movement, and now that there was nothing else to do, all the energy was gone from her body, leaving her limbs feeling heavy and weak.

She threw herself on the bed again, not bothering to use a blanket or pillow or anything. Outside the suite's open door, she saw Vaati walk by, likely heading to his own suite. Link stared at the now-empty hall for a while. Then she draped her arm over her eyes and let exhaustion drag her to sleep.

* * *

The establishment of a secure perimeter, complete with regular patrols, was first on the long list of tasks to getting the Castle back to its former glory. And it was the task Aveil sent Link to so.

"Look," the Gerudo interrupted, seeing that Link was about to argue about this assignment. "I know it's super boring, but you shouldn't do any lifting with that arm of yours, and some time alone to think wouldn't hurt, either. Plus, I'm putting Vaati in the library to organize books, so you'll stay out of each other's hair."

Aveil had, of course, found out what was going on between the two of them. "Yeah, he was just a little bitter about all the teasing I did to you two at his expense," she had said lightly. Then, more seriously, "Give it time. You guys are a team and I think he knows and values that. He'll come around when he's ready. Don't pout so much or your face will stick like that."

And so it was that Link found herself standing atop the old outer wall of the Castle courtyard, a bow hanging idly from one hand while she stared into space, pretending to be keeping watch. In reality, she was thinking, just like Aveil suggested.

She didn't know what she should say to Vaati. "Sorry I lied to you about everything, Part II?" Would he even talk to her? They may be friends, but she'd lied many times; maybe too many. Link gripped the bow until the edges bit into her skin.

Her brooding was suddenly interrupted by her phone buzzing in her pocket. Link quickly fished it out and peered at the screen. "Impa?" she answered the phone questioningly.

"Link," her guardian said in her usual crisp way. "I am not disturbing your work, am I?"

"No, I'm just on watch duty for now."

"Good. It sounds like the Castle is secure. Zelda and I have moved to a new safehouse for now as a precaution. Of course, I wish for you and Vaati to assist with the cleanup of the Castle, but the issue of Ghirahim remains at large and must not be neglected. Now that you have the Master Sword, he is outmatched; however, it seems we still cannot defeat him for good. He has gone into hiding, likely to form another plan. We need to figure out those plans and act before he does."

Link set her bow down and tapped on the granite stone of the wall thoughtfully. "Well, Zelda, Vaati, and I are definitely his focus. If we take any of the old legends and use the patterns there, Zelda usually has some power that the bad guy wants. He was trying to get Vaati on his side because the Wind Mage used to be evil, but that didn't work. And obviously, he wants the... Hero dead." She hesitated on the word, uncomfortable with using it for herself.

"Yes, that's true." Impa paused, and they both were quiet for several long moments, pondering. Then the Sheikah hummed. "Zelda wishes to say something."

The girl's younger voice came through. "Link, did anything strange happen when you picked up the Master Sword?"

Link frowned. "Strange as in...?"

"Umm... Anything with your hand, maybe?"

"Yeah, actually, when I found the hidden door. How'd you know?" Then realization hit her. "Wait-did it happen to you too?"

Zelda affirmed, "Yes. That's what I was thinking. You and I each have pieces of the Tri-Force. And that's what the villain in the legends usually wants: the full Tri-Force. So that's likely why Ghirahim was trying to kidnap me."

"That just leads to another question, though," Link groaned. "Who has the third piece?"

Impa reclaimed the phone. "We will add that to our list of things to think about and watch out for. For now, you should focus on assisting Vaati in removing that bracelet. Vaati is vulnerable without his magic, and we need every able asset we can find."

Link leaned forward against the wall, bending slightly so she was partially suspended in the open air. "I'll do my best," she sighed. She was willing to try, but the Mage's cooperation was another thing altogether.

She didn't quite expect Impa to continue with, "I am sure your relationship with Vaati is strained now. Be patient. I am sure he will understand. For better or worse... I believe you are a good... team together." Then she took a breath and ended in her normal crisp way, "Provide assistance at the Castle, prepare for what Ghirahim may be planning next, and remove Vaati's bracelet. That is all."

"Understood, Impa." Link smiled slightly. Her guardian so rarely slipped and showed her concern; she knew she cared, of course, but it was always nice to hear it out loud.

Her smile quickly faded as thoughts of everything going on swirled in her head. The Tri-Force, Ghirahim, Vaati... She thought having knowledge of the legends would help, but if anything, it just confused her more. Her 'legend' was breaking all the rules; what could she rely on to be true this time?

She let her gaze become unfocused, staring out at the city, questions, and worries revolving without resolution within her.

* * *

Aveil put her on patrol two days in a row. The second day, she didn't give her any tasks for the evening, so Link spent the time wandering the Castle and surveying the damage. The Yiga had left hardly a single room without their fingerprints all over it. Some appeared trashed for the heck of it, but others, especially file rooms, had been thoroughly searched, every file removed from the cabinets. She wondered if there was something they'd been looking for...

Her absentminded steps brought her to the library. She hesitated, uncertain if Vaati would still be inside. But some sort of curiosity to see him pulled her to open the door anyways. They'd barely seen each other the past two days, only passing glances as they went about their individual tasks, and Vaati had steadfastly avoided looking at her, let alone said anything to her. The silence was killing her.

Link steeled herself for whatever may come and forced herself into the library. It was dimly lit inside, but she could clearly make out the towering shelves spreading throughout the entire room. There was even a second floor. She puffed out a breath of awe. It must be a sight to see when properly lit.

Her eyes picked out a brighter light in between the aisles of shelves. Link padded quickly towards it, hoping it was Vaati, working late to reshelve books and research along the way. As she got closer, she saw his distinctive purple hair, and she faltered slightly.

Her foot knocked into an innocent book on the floor. Vaati startled at the sound, turning from where he'd been flipping through pages of an old tome. Link hesitated even more. It may have been the poor light (probably not), but Vaati's face was dark and worn from lack of sleep, and his eyes held none of the sharpness from before; they were weary.

But as quickly as she noticed all that, he collected himself, that hardness returning, snapping at her, "What are you doing here?"

"I just wondered-" She paused, fumbling for the right words. "Do... Do you want help with...?" she stammered.

"No."

Link chewed on her lip. "Okay. Okay. But... we still have to figure out how to get that bracelet off of you... We can't go anywhere until-"

She was interrupted by Vaati lifting his hand for her to see. "It's made of magic. I can't break it. And unless you have another spell up your sleeve that can smash it without smashing me, we're screwed. So you might as well just leave me behind and go actually kill that demon." He lowered his hand. "Why didn't you kill him?" The accusing anger in his voice almost made her flinch.

"...I couldn't. I don't know why," she admitted quietly. "The Master Sword definitely hurt him, but even blows that I thought would end it..." Link shook her head. "I don't know."

"Great." Vaati threw his hands up and turned away, shoving the tome onto the shelf. "All of that to get the Master Sword, and you still can't kill him. Maybe the _Hero_ could have done it."

She bit her lip so hard she expected blood. The pain must have shown, because when Vaati turned back to face her, his gaze softened slightly, a guilty look clouding his face. They both stood there without saying anything for a long time. What was there to say?

"I'm sorry, Vaati."

He opened his mouth, then closed it, rubbing his eyes. Then he faced her, meeting her gaze squarely. "Just tell me. Did you ever plan to let me know?"

"...No," she answered honestly, voice strangely steady.

He breathed in sharply and broke eye contact. "Not ever?" he asked shakily. "You just planned to keep on lying to everyone? Wait," he held up a hand before she could reply. "Who else knew? Does Zelda know?"

"No! No. Just Impa, Aveil, and Sheik." Link took a breath to steady herself. "I didn't plan on telling you because I thought eventually... I would have to leave. After the mission was over."

"That's all this is to you? Another mission?" His voice went up.

Link quickly moved closer to him, shaking her head. "No. Not anymore. It stopped being a mission for me a long time ago. But I still kept thinking I'd have to leave someday. So I kept putting off telling you anything. And then... I don't know." The words, bottled inside so long, spilled out. "I stopped thinking about it so much. Pretending to be a guy wasn't always that different from just being myself. You... You helped me just be myself." She swallowed. She was moving dangerously close to the area of her feelings. Now definitely wasn't the time. "After a while, it didn't feel like a big deal to me. So that's why... I didn't plan to tell you."

"Did you maybe think how I'd feel?" Vaati shot back. He hadn't moved when she stepped forward, and he was staring at her, eyes conflicted. "How I'd feel when I found out? You can't keep that kind of secret forever!"

"No, okay? I didn't think about it. You're right. But I guess I didn't think it'd matter even if you did find out, cuz we were friends. But then you-" She almost said 'but then you kissed me.' "But it didn't work out like that," she amended.

His red eyes didn't stray from her face. She could see him working through what words to say. Finally, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "You don't get it."

"Get what?"

"I can't... I can't do this. Keep getting close to you and then getting backstabbed like this. I can't trust you."

The words hit her stomach like a physical punch. Link swallowed, forcing herself to nod. "I wouldn't trust me either," she replied softly. She backed away. "I'm... I really am sorry, Vaati. More than you know."

He said nothing, just stood there and stared at the golden bracelet around his wrist. Link backed away, slipping back through the towering shelves, only letting the tears spill over once she was out the library door.


	41. Chapter 40

A/N: if you haven't read the revised and updated Chapter 39, please go do that first before reading this chapter! Thanks! Hope this chapter is alright!

SoundMusician60: oh my goodness, thank you! That's some of the highest praise I've ever received for my writing :')

Okyaku-san: thank you for the feedback-I revised the last chapter because I realized you were quite right about the safehouse plot being forced and that there was a much more logical solution that could still get the story to where I need it to!

Shout-out to my new followers, SoundMusician60, eduardo56408, carsonclaudelindsey, grimlock987, Aniallynie, and Maraq! And a huge thank you to everyone who's been along for the ride for a while!

* * *

Chapter 40

Link was awoken at 2 AM by her phone vibrating under her stomach. Groaning, she fumbled for it unsuccessfully, eventually pushing herself to a sitting position so she could squint at the bright screen of her phone. She didn't recognize the number. But very few people had her number, so it was probably someone she knew. Link swiped to answer and lifted the phone to her ear. "H'llo?" she slurred, sliding off the bed as quietly as possible and moving out into the hall so as to not disturb the Sheikah sleeping in the room.

She was greeted by a cacophony of voices. "Link!" "No, lemme talk first!" "I have the phone, wait your turn!" "Guys-"

"Woah, woah, slow down," she winced. Good thing she'd moved to the hall.

"Are you okay?" The voice was the calmest of the bunch.

Link stretched out on her back. "Yeah. I got one cut from Ghirahim, but nothing major. We're staying in the Castle for now so-"

"No, not that," they interrupted. "We felt something earlier. Vio, how would you describe it?"

The voice that came in next was undramatic, despite the words she delivered: "It felt like our heart was being torn out of our chest and thrown under the feet of an angry mob to get trampled on, and then shoved back in."

"Or, you know, in simpler words," a third voice added, "it felt like your heart was breaking, Link."

"So, I'll ask again," the calm voice, Red, said. "Actually, I won't ask if you're okay. You're obviously not. So we want to know: What happened?"

Link was quiet for a long time. Silence crackled on the twins' end of the phone as they waited. "You guys know what happened. Vaati found out. And now... he can't trust me anymore. Whatever we had, or I hoped we had..."

"Can I talk to her?" she heard a softer voice say. There was a pause; then Zelda was speaking. The twins must have gone to the safehouse with her and Impa. "I'm sorry, Link. I'm sure he's just feeling hurt right now. If you give him some time, I'm sure he'll be willing to give you another chance. He cares about you a lot."

"I lied to him about something pretty big. And I wasn't going to tell him about it, either." Link paused. "Aren't _you_ upset with me?"

"No-o-o," Zelda replied haltingly.

"She already knew!" Vio cut in. "Something about auras and stuff!"

If Link had to say, the scuffling sounds that followed were Blue and Red dragging Vio away from the phone. When the chaos subsided, Zelda cleared her throat. "Sorry. I did already know. I noticed you when you were disguised as that girl with red hair; I could tell it was you by your aura. And it just... made more sense somehow. But I thought you would have a hard time if you knew I'd found out, so I pretended not to know." She paused. "I actually wasn't sure if Vaati knew or not, considering how much time you spent together."

"Vaati likes to ignore people," Vio called. "He wasn't really paying attention to that kind of stuff."

Link leaned against the cold marble wall with a sigh. "So you knew for a while, huh... ...Thanks for not saying anything. That woulda made things tougher."

"Of course. We're friends. Oh, Red wants to talk now."

There was a brief pause; then Red spoke. "Zelda is helping us research how to get rid of Ghirahim's bracelet. Anything on your end we should know?"

"I'm as clueless as you are. Worst case scenario, I starve him and then break his thumb to pull it off." She heard two of her twins snickering and a whispered "oo brutal". "But I really don't want to do that," she added. "Even if he let me, for some crazy reason."

"Blue here-don't worry, we'll figure it out! Just hang in there and smooth things out with Vaati!"

"Guys, I don't... I don't know if I can. He doesn't have any reason to trust me or even like me. I just want to leave him be, before I do something to make it worse."

"Yeah, but if you do nothing, you guys will never get back together!"

"We weren't 'together' in the first place," Link replied bitterly.

Zelda apparently grabbed the phone because her voice came over next. "Link, don't give up. There's always hope. I know you can earn his trust back. And I don't think he would ever hate you. You're special to him."

"Wait, even you could tell?!" Vio called out.

Link squeezed her eyes shut. This was all too much to think about at 2 AM. "Guys, I'm going back to sleep. Yes I'll talk to him!" she rushed to add when they started talking over each other in protest. They all said quick goodbyes and goodnights. She threw the phone to the floor when she got back to the room and rolled onto the bed, burying her face in the cushions.

* * *

The next time she encountered Vaati, a day later, it was in the kitchen. Link was snacking on some candy in an effort to force herself awake by sugar overload. She saw her purple-haired friend out of the corner of her eye, opening the fridge. "No eat," she yawned.

He didn't reply, just fixed her with a glare and practically threw his plate into the microwave, slamming the door shut.

Yawning again, Link slumped her head on one hand, elbow resting on the kitchen counter. "I figured out a way to get that bracelet off," she mumbled. When he peered at her expectantly which was more of a reaction than she anticipated, she explained, "We starve you and then break your thumb. So, no food!"

He scowled. "That's really the best you could come up with?"

"Hey, it doesn't hurt all that bad! I've done it before!" In a more serious tone, she added, "Unless you have a better idea. This one is pretty standard and effective in my line of work."

"I don't want anything to do with your line of work, Link." Vaati pulled the pancakes out of the microwave and walked back to his out of the kitchen, ending the conversation.

Link rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then let her hands fall to her sides. How was she supposed to talk to him if he met everything she said with the same antagonism?

It wasn't all that different from when they'd first met, or any other time they'd had a falling out, she reminded herself. If she kept at it, he'd come around. He liked her despite himself.

The thought suddenly came rushing in - what if he _was_ into guys? And he was disgusted because he had fallen for a girl all along? He always liked to say he didn't swing that way, but what if it was just to keep it hidden?

No, no, no. Whatever his orientation, he'd kissed her, which probably meant he had feelings for her, which meant that he was just heartbroken over being lied to. Again.

She ruffled her hair, tugging at the ends of it. Guessing and conjecturing wouldn't get her anywhere. It only made the bitter sadness in her chest grow more poignant. Normally... Link would avoid him. Give him the space he wanted. But something told her that if she wasted too much time, there would be no going back this time. She needed to find some way to get Vaati to trust her again. Not just for the mission, but because she couldn't live with this pain. She didn't want to lose what they had.

* * *

She let him be until the evening. Then she snuck to the library where Aveil had told her Vaati was still working. Her plan was a bit forceful, but hopefully, he'd cave to her good intentions. Link slipped through the library doors like the stealthy ninja she was and crept down the aisle between the towering bookshelves, aiming for the dim light that she could faintly see through the gaps in the shelves.

He was sitting at a table with just a desk lamp to illuminate the pages spread out in front of him. By his hunched shoulders, he looked deep in concentration. Link took a deep breath, then crept up behind him and tapped his shoulder twice. Vaati jerked, whipping around with wide eyes. They quickly narrowed when he saw her.

Before he could bite off any stinging remark, Link blurted out, "We really need to talk. I said I'm sorry. I still really want to be your friend, but you gotta give me a chance."

In response to that, he stood up and started walking away. But Link rapidly caught up to him, blocking his way. "I'm not leaving till you talk to me." He pivoted and strode the other way, to which Link ran over and blocked him again. "C'mooooon, Vaati. You can't be mad forever!" she pouted. Seeing he was about to turn around once more, she grabbed both his arms, pushing him against the shelf and pinning him in place.

"Din, why do you have to be so - I don't want to talk!" For the first time, she saw the shadows under his eyes that betrayed how little he'd slept.

"Just answer one question!" she rushed. "Do you hate me?"

"...No."

The relief brought a flickering smile to her lips, and she let her hands fall back to her sides. "Cool. So then we can talk, right? If you don't hate me, then you still like me somewhere deep down inside. Please?"

He sighed and glanced away. "Whatever."

She stepped backward cautiously, slowly, like she was trying not to frighten an animal. Vaati crossed his arms. For a while, they just stood awkwardly in the dim library not quite meeting the other's eyes. Then Link cleared her throat.

"I want you to be able to trust me again. So... I promise I won't ever lie to you again. Unless I'm planning a surprise party or something, might have to fib then," she joked nervously. He didn't react. "Um, and, you can ask me anything you want to know about me. No more secrets."

She had to wait a long while, during which she wasn't sure if he was thinking of a question or if he was being stubborn again, but he finally sighed and said, "Link."

"Yes?"

"Your name. Link's not a girl's name, so what's your real name?" He was staring at her, arms still crossed, expression carefully neutral.

She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "That actually is my name. Really!" she affirmed when Vaati frowned at her disbelievingly. "Whoever dropped me on Impa's porch left a note saying my name was Link. She didn't think we should change it. And I never thought it was a bad name to have."

"Weird name for a weird person." His gaze strayed away as he thought out his next question. Then he glanced at her quickly. "I'm only going along with this because I'm too tired to argue with you right now."

"I'll take it," Link laughed softly.

Uncrossing his arms, Vaati moved over back over to the table, sitting on the edge. Link remained standing in the middle of the aisle at a safe distance. "How'd you hide it so well? The fact that you're a girl?"

"It wasn't that hard." She shrugged. "I mean, I'm pretty androgynous, a tomboy... Er, but if you're talking about other things... Um, I don't know if you noticed, but I never changed clothes around anyone, I always took a shower in the middle of the night... Uhh, there's pills girls can take to, uh... prevent, y'know... And beyond that, I don't know. I kept certain things hidden and no one was very nosy."

"You weren't worried about being in a guys' dorm?"

Link snorted. "C'mon, if anyone tried to assault me, you know I could've kicked their butt in two seconds."

He hmm'd in response to that. Link relaxed a little, leaning back against the shelf. She'd been uncertain when she'd decided to try this confession session. If he was upset enough, he might've asked some painful questions. But so far, none of the questions had been too bad, and it seemed like Vaati was less tense as well. He was actually willing to accept her offer to regain his trust.

Vaati sighed and rubbed his eyes with both hands. "What else am I supposed to ask?" he mumbled tiredly. "You're the one who knows all your own shocking secrets. You tell me."

The blonde chewed on her lip. Shocking secrets? She had plenty of secrets, but most of them were involved with her role as a Sheikah agent, and Vaati probably wouldn't find those 'shocking'. Then she remembered -- she knew about the kiss. Link grimaced and looked away. No, that was _not_ something he'd want to hear.

"Spit it out already," Vaati muttered. Apparently, he'd seen her sudden discomfort and deduced the source.

"I really think you don't want to know," she laughed weakly.

He kept his red eyes fixed on her, so tired, yet focused, interested. "What, too embarrassing?"

"Not just to me..." she mumbled. When he continued to stare at her unrelentingly, Link puffed out her cheeks and ran a hand through her hair. She'd promised.

"Remember when I got sick at the hotel?" She waited for his reaction, but he only squinted in thought. "Um, and you came over," she continued, "and later I fell asleep?" He finally broke eye contact, shifty eyes betraying what he was thinking about. Link mumbled out the last words: "Except I wasn't actually asleep..."

She watched the realization spread over his face, eyes darting back and forth between her and anywhere else, face quickly growing a warm red. He swore shakily under his breath. "That's... It's just... I shouldn't have done that," Vaati stammered. "Just forget about it."

"No, it's, um, fine," Link replied. "I mean, I wasn't mad about it or anything. Just maybe confused I guess? Cuz I thought we were just friends but then... Um." She stopped herself, feeling awkward. Now would probably be an appropriate time to tell him what he meant to her but she wasn't sure either of them were ready for that.

"Why didn't you say anything about it?" her friend groaned, rubbing his eyes once more.

"Uhhh cuz it'd be awkward to just go up to you the next day and be like, 'Yo, why'd you kiss me'? I just... I didn't really want things to change between us if I brought it up. So I just tried to act normal and help you feel normal too... I guess?"

Vaati was staring into the distant darkness of the far walls of the library. All the sharpness was gone from his gaze and even in the way he held himself; he looked exhausted and defeated. "I didn't want anything to change either," he admitted softly. "But then everything did." He sighed and stood, glancing at her briefly. "I honestly don't know how I feel about you now. It's a mess."

Link nodded slowly. She hadn't expected to feel so saddened by that statement. "I know. And I'm really sorry." She bit her lip, debating how much to say. "Look: I really want to be around you for... for as long as possible." The blonde stumbled over her words, trying not to betray just how close her heart was to breaking again. "You're... you're my favorite person, but if you don't feel that way, I totally get it, and I won't try again to force you to be nice to me or talk to me or see me after this is all over or... or anything like that."

"I already said I don't hate you," Vaati muttered. For a long moment, he kept his eyes on her. "And to be honest, I don't even want to be mad at you anymore. It's exhausting."

His tone was more sharp again, and Link perked up a bit. "So... you're saying...?"

"We can be friends or whatever."

Vaati probably immediately regretted his words, as Link launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she grinned. She pulled back to see him scowling at her but she just laughed. "No take-back's, okay?"

"Fine, just let go already!" he groaned, pushing at her arms.

Link relented, but her smile didn't fade at all. "C'mon, it's late, let's walk back to the suites together!"

The Wind Mage sighed. "I'll never understand how quickly your mood can change. Yes, I'm going, don't drag me!"


	42. Chapter 41

A/N: What's this? Two chapters in one month???

Also -- this story has been going for two years?! What the heck :'D And some of you guys have been sticking with it since nearly the beginning. Seriously, thank you guys ( _heart emoji here_ )

Thank you to Mirlinix and LightningNinja20 for following!

* * *

Chapter 41

He wished his head and heart would just make up their minds. Sometimes he'd catch himself staring at her, half smiling at the way she was trying to impress one of the Sheikah agents by mimicking the agent's deep voice. Other times he found himself doubting every word that came out of her mouth. Then there were times she'd give him a certain look - an incredibly warm smile that he never saw her give anyone else (when did she start doing that?) - and he'd want to run and hide.

It didn't help that one of her twins was sent to the Castle as well, so he ran into her twice as often. Fortunately, it was Red; he wasn't sure he'd survive it if Vio had been the one. Red mostly watched him and didn't say much. That was unsettling in its own way.

All that to say that Vaati was having a hard time sitting down with Link and working on cracking (literally and figuratively) the bracelet on his wrist.

Every time she brought it up - "Hey, Vaati, do you have time to-" - he'd quickly give an excuse. "Aveil told me to clean one of the offices." "I'm about to do something." "Ask me tomorrow."

"Ah, okay..." she'd reply hesitantly, then sheepishly wave and head the other direction.

About a week into their stay at the Castle, Vaati was leaving the library after another long day of research and organizing. Maybe he'd been avoiding Link but he definitely hadn't been wasting his time. Every book he came across that might have the slightest connection to magic, curses, spells, demons - anything remotely related to the bracelet, he immediately read through for any hint on how to get rid of it. But so far, he'd had no luck.

Vaati halted when he saw a familiar redhead waiting out in the hall. Red looked up at the sound of the door shutting, uncrossing her arms. "Have you found anything yet?" she asked, ever straight to the point.

"Nothing solid, no." The Mage tried to casually walk away, but Red followed close by.

"It would be more efficient with more people working on it, you know. We are immobilized here until that bracelet is broken, and Ghirahim has more time to formulate his own plans - whatever those are - the longer we take." Her tone was professional yet he detected a chiding undertone.

Casting a sideways glance at her, Vaati kept walking but replied, "He's trying to revive Ganon, like the incredibly original villain he is."

"We thought as much at first, but his focus on you confused us. That's good to know..." There was a long pause between them. Then Red let out a breath. "Look, Vaati, I know things are complicated for you and Link, but you're allowing yourself to become focused too much on that. There are bigger things at play here, especially if Ganon is a threat, and everyone needs you two to be a team. Link doesn't want to scare you off so that's why she's been giving you space, but you've wasted enough time already. Worry about your love life once you get that bracelet off."

The mage stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the redhead. She certainly portrayed the parts Link had learned from Impa: so point of fact it often hurt. "Not sure whether I like or hate this part of you," he muttered. "Fine, whatever, you've made your point. Tell her I'll be in the library tomorrow night."

Smiling minutely, Red nodded. "Thank you." Then she added, "I was serious about dealing with your relationship afterward, though. Link hasn't told you everything. You'll have to ask her about that yourself," she cut him off when he was about to retort. "Goodnight, Vaati."

 _At least it's not Vio,_ he reassured himself as he trudged reluctantly up to bed. _At least it's not Vio._

* * *

"You've read that same page twice, y'know."

Vaati scowled at the book, not looking over at his blonde friend. "Maybe if I could _focus_ ," he accused.

"Hey! I'm not doing anything!" Link shot back, sounding hurt. "I'm literally just sitting here!"

His scowl just deepened, not willing to admit she was right. It wasn't her fault exactly; his mind just kept coming back to what Red had said the day before. What did she mean, Link hadn't told him everything? _Focus already...!_

They were both thumbing through books on dark magic. Most were just theories, as magic had long been considered a dead art. Vaati was stuck on a lengthy section on the definition of 'dark' and 'light' magic as opposed to 'good' and 'bad' magic.

 _While dark and light magic are indeed opposites of each other, they also complement the other and have the potential to increase the power of spells if used together correctly. It is similar to the concepts of light and darkness in the physical world: a solitary source of light in total darkness appears blindingly bright, while the shadows cast by abundant light are the deepest black._

 _However, light is intrinsically more powerful than darkness. Darkness cannot blot out light, but light can banish darkness. That is why dark magic, unless wielded by a master of much higher skill, will always be weaker than light magic._

Vaati sighed and leaned back in his chair. Fascinating, but he wasn't seeing how any of it helped him with Ghirahim's bracelet. If anything, he needed to know how dark magic worked against its own type.

"Find anything?" Link queried, looking up from her own book.

"No," he answered curtly. "Just yet another book saying how light magic is stronger than dark, but a lot of good that does us."

Link hummed in thought. "Yeah, we don't know anyone who can use light magic. ...Didn't Ghirahim say that you could use dark magic as long as it was strong enough?"

"I've already thought of that. Neither my wind or dark magic are strong enough normally, and it's definitely not enough to break through this bracelet."

"Okay, but what if!" she replied, eyes suddenly bright with an idea. "What if there was a way to boost your power?"

Vaati squinted at her. "Magic is honed through practice; that's how it gets stronger. But I can't do any practicing, obviously. Next idea."

The blonde pouted at him and crossed her arms petulantly. They both went back to reading, but apparently, Link hadn't abandoned her idea, because about twenty minutes later she made a small exclamation and patted Vaati's shoulder excitedly. "I think I found something! Look, look!"

She pushed her book towards him, shoving his own aside. He sighed but acquiesced, glancing at the book's cover before diving into the pages presented. _Dark Gods of Hyrule_. Promising title.

 _...Blade and opened the chest that had been bound for centuries. Within were countless evils, monsters that spread across Hyrule, terrorizing her people. But Vaati cared not for what he had unleashed, for the chest did not contain the power he sought._

Vaati skimmed down through the passage. It was bitter to read about his past self in a book titled Dark Gods. But Link didn't give it to him just to make old wounds ache.

He found one paragraph, however, that caused him to lean forward and read more closely:

 _The Light Force. It has long been a matter of debate whether the Light Force is part of or separate from the Triforce. In historical records and ancient art, it is represented as a golden triangle, similar to a piece of the Triforce. It only appears in one legend - the legend of the Minish Cap - and it resided within the Princess Zelda. Some scholars say that it was, in fact, the Triforce of Wisdom, as in the majority of the legends, while others argue that it has a distinctly different name for a reason._

 _What is certain is that the Light Force contained great power, and its was the power that Vaati, Wind Mage, used to transform himself into a god._

When he finished reading, Link nudged him. "See, I told you - boost your power!"

"That's... probably not a good idea, Link. And before you ask me why, last time I 'boosted' my power I turned into a giant monster. Not to mention we don't know if Zelda has the Light Force or if she'd even let me touch it."

"That was your past self, though! He only turned into a giant bat because he'd been corrupted. Think about it - the Light Force is supposed to be a good power, right? Yet he used it for evil because he was evil. It's like one of those books said - no magic or power is good or bad, it's about who uses it and how. So, you won't turn into a giant bat! Because you're not evil!"

"Okay, fine, I'm not evil," Vaati conceded, "but that still doesn't tell us whether we can even get this power."

Link pulled the book back, pointing at that last passage. "I had another idea. It says the Light Force might actually be part of the Triforce, right?"

"Okay? We don't know where that is, either," he replied skeptically. Then he glanced at her. "Unless...?"

The blonde nodded slowly but didn't offer an immediate explanation. Pushing the book aside, she raised her left hand slightly. Recently, in the past two days or so, she'd been wearing a fingerless glove on just her left hand, something Vaati had noticed but not gotten around to questioning. Link pushed her sleeve up and took off the glove. On the back of her hand was a faint mark, looking somewhat like a dark bruise, of three perfect triangles.

"Din, is that-?" Vaati breathed.

Link rubbed at the back of her hand. "It showed up when I was looking for the Master Sword. The mark was almost invisible at first but it got darker over time, so that's why I've been wearing a glove." She looked up and grinned, though there was something uncertain in her smile. "Yep, it's the Triforce of Courage!"

Vaati stared at her. He thought he'd be done being awed by her by now - after she'd drawn the Four Sword and split into four, when she'd found the real Master Sword - but seeing the mark of the Triforce on her hand... "Goddesses, you really _are_ the Hero."

She laughed at that, though he hadn't meant to be funny at all. "What, you didn't think that before now?"

"That's not - It's just that the Triforce... You don't just go pick that up anywhere. The _Goddesses_ grant the Triforce to the Hero. You're literally chosen by the gods, Link."

"Then I'm sure they trust me to use it for good!" Smiling more confidently, Link held out her hand towards him. "Here, see if you can tap into it." When he hesitated, she teased, "C'mon, holding hands is nothing, you've done more than _that_ before."

"I told you to forget about that..." he muttered venomously, but he grabbed her hand anyway, hers on top so he could concentrate on the symbol.

The Triforce - what did that feel like? Vaati wasn't incredibly familiar with tapping into or even sensing magic, let alone something like the Triforce. He could sense Link's gaze flickering between their clasped hands and his face, and he closed his eyes to focus. Perhaps if he reached out with his own magic, he'd find something. He imagined what it was like when he used his magic to flow through monsters he summoned. It was difficult with the bracelet throttling his magic, but he could still manage it.

Link's chair creaked as she shifted and her fingers tensed. "That feels... weird," she commented quietly.

The mage opened his eyes to look at her. "I'll stop if you want."

But she shook her head. "It's fine! I trust you!"

Vaati hesitated again; she probably had an idea that the magic he was using could easily be used to physically control her, but she still trusted him not to harm her. _I should probably learn to trust her, too._ He cleared his throat and closed his eyes again. _Focus._

The Triforce was known to protect the Hero, wasn't it? So maybe if he actually tried to control her, it might fight back. It was a risk, and he didn't know if she'd forgive him for doing that.

"...I'm going to try to use my magic to theoretically control you," he explained carefully. He wasn't about to do it without telling her. "Just to see if I can nudge the Triforce out of where it's hiding. Okay?"

She nodded and gave a thumbs up. "I'm yours to command!"

Reaching out with his magic, Vaati could gradually sense what he normally felt when he controlled his monsters: her physical place in space, her potential movements, the flow of her own magic; but he found he could also sense more than that: he felt her uncertainty, snippets of thought worrying about whether he'd use this to get back at her, thoughts arguing back that he wouldn't, even though she probably deserved it. While he probably couldn't actually control her movements due to the bracelet, it didn't seem to prevent him from practically reading her mind. Vaati couldn't look at her face anymore, wondering if she knew exactly how deep his magic was right now. He just needed to find the Trif-

He was suddenly cut off from any control. Something pushed him out. Vaati looked at Link's hand expectantly, just as she cried out, "It worked!" The lower right triangle was glowing with a golden light. Vaati would have just stared at it in awe until it disappeared if Link hadn't tugged at his hand and reminded him, "C'mon, try to use it!"

"I'm getting there," he replied hastily. How the heck was he supposed to do that? He went with his gut and put his other hand over the glowing symbol, visualizing that he was pulling the power into himself.

It responded to his pull.

It was pure. It wasn't Light or Dark, or good or evil. It was pure, and it was power.

The magic inside him that had grown dormant with disuse rose up when the Triforce's power touched it. Vaati pulled the hand with the bracelet away, dividing his attention between maintaining the flow of power from the Triforce and focusing his dark magic on the bracelet. He just needed enough to break it. Shadows surrounded the despicable golden band, and the red gem began to crack. Heart racing, Vaati focused everything on that gem.

It shattered, and the bracelet crumbled into nothing with it.


End file.
